


Seeds

by Snailhair



Series: Purpose [2]
Category: Supernatural
Genre: Archangel grace, Bathtub Sex, Bobby Feels, Destiel - Freeform, Dickie being cute, Difficult Labor, Fluff, Gabe dealing with self doubt, Gabe having mood swings, Hellhounds, Hormones, Humor, Jealousy, M/M, Mentions of many past relationships, Mpreg, Nightmares, Sabriel - Freeform, Smut, Some angst, baby Jude, baby stuff, celestial pregnancy, established relationships - Freeform, fluffy feels, hints of Crobby, internal struggles, mentions of past Jessica Moore/Sam, sex during pregnancy
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-07-21
Updated: 2017-07-21
Packaged: 2018-12-04 21:22:07
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 13
Words: 69,614
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11563578
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Snailhair/pseuds/Snailhair
Summary: After some slight coaxing and a small epiphany, Sam decides that he is ready to have a child with Gabriel. As they both plan and prepare for the arrival of their baby – along with some help from Dean, Cas, Bobby, Dickie, and their new nephew – Sam slowly comes to terms with being a father and Gabriel discovers that even the smallest of things can hold a powerful meaning.





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> Hey guys. I'm back again with another part of the 'Purpose' series! :) This time, it's Sabriel and it's fluffy as hell. :D For those of you who haven't read this yet on FF.net, I'll let you know that this part is very mild with angst compared to the first one. It does focus on Sam and Gabriel (and Dickie), but Dean, Castiel, Bobby, Crowley, and Jude are all in it as well. Also, Jessica Moore will be mentioned a lot through out this story. She's dead in this universe, but there will be mentions of her and Sam's past relationship. (And I'll state here that Gabriel says an Enochian phrase in this chapter and the English translation is: “That is beautiful, moreover than the heavens.” You'll get to it later. Trust me.) ;) Again, thank you all so much for reading this fic! I hope you enjoy! <3

Sam pointed his flashlight toward the ground in the dark, illuminating the massive pile of festive explosives in front of him. Dean was walking back and forth from the trunk of the Impala a few feet away, carrying armfuls at a time. Mounds and mounds of canon shots were all piled up near countless tubes... Sam had never seen so many fireworks in his whole life.

“Dude,” the man muttered in exasperation, watching his older brother cart another arm-load, “How much money did you waste on these fireworks?”

“None,” Dean answered simply, kneeling down to arrange them, “That guy in Cleveland gave them to me in exchange for a few boxes of ammo.”

Sam shook his head as he watched Dean start to set up the various fireworks. Really? Dean exchanged their precious ammo for a stockpile of fireworks that were only going to last a few minutes? That was worse than wasting money...

“Is this really necessary? I mean, it's just the Fourth of July. It'll come back around next year,” Sam reminded.

Dean actually stopped what he was doing and turned to give Sam a look of utter surprise, as if he couldn't believe what he just heard.

“Sammy, they're _fireworks_. And he's never seen them before,” Dean almost whispered, his eyes flickering toward the treeline a few yards away.

Sam automatically knew who Dean was referring to. He was talking about Jude; his and Cas's five-month-old son. Sam, too, raised his head to look toward the small group in the distance. Cas, the baby, Dickie, and Gabriel were all huddled together on the hillside, waiting for the show to begin. Sam sighed, feeling his resistance slip away. Dean loved fireworks. Of course he wanted to put on a grand show for his son's first Fourth of July.

“Oh yeah,” Sam mumbled, feeling a smirk flash on his own face, “Well, in that case, do you need any help?”

“Nah. I'm just going to set them up,” Dean answered, turning back to his work, “Cas is going to light them from up there. You go ahead and have a seat, Sammy. I'll be up there in a minute.”

Sam nodded and handed Dean his flashlight before starting the trek up the hill. As he got closer to the top, the sight of his family came into better focus. Cas was planted on a blanket on the ground with his son in his arms. The angel's eyes were firmly set on Dean, watching him from a distance with curiosity. Jude, on the other hand, was happily drooling all over a rubber toy, seeming uninterested in his dad's current mission. Sam grinned when his nephew blinked up at him with giant blue eyes. Ah, man, Jude was so small and cute. And even cuter was the fact that he was clinging to Cas's coat with one hand, treating it like his own security blanket.

“Hey Jude,” Sam muttered, giving a small wave.

The baby only replied with a small ' _eh_ ' before returning to his toy. Gabriel's dog, however, was thoroughly distraught. The little Jack Russell Terrier barked a few times and jumped around, obviously jealous of the attention that Sam was giving the baby. Wanting to put the dog at ease, Sam stepped over and picked him up; turning him upward to scratch his furry belly.

“Oh, stop whining. You know I still love you,” Sam cooed to the dog.

Dickie wiggled and panted, enjoying the praise.

“What about me?”

Sam looked up at the sound of Gabriel's playful voice. The archangel was perched on a blanket of his own with his legs stretched out and elbows back. It looked like he was pretending to be on a beach somewhere, lazing around in the sand. Sam's eyes wandered all over Gabriel's form – his tight jeans, dark shirt, golden hair, moist lips – before greeting his amber eyes. Wow. Just looking at Gabe made Sam's whole body tingle.

“Don't _I_ get a belly rub?” the archangel asked, raising an eyebrow.

Sam gave a small chuckle as he sat Dickie down and walked over to join Gabriel on the blanket. He made sure that Cas and the baby were out of hearing range before leaning over to whisper to his archangel.

“If you're a good boy, I'll be sure to give you a nice rub later,” Sam smirked, giving a wink for added effect.

Sam knew that he wasn't very good at flirting, and that his inappropriate line about 'rubbing' wasn't all that funny or sexy. But Gabriel seemed to appreciate it anyway. The archangel flashed a huge pearly grin and nuzzled closer to Sam on their shared blanket, bringing his sweet scent closer.

“Well, in that case, I'll be on my best behavior. Or at least, I'll _try_ to be,” he purred, snaking his hand along Sam's thigh.

A few more tingles raced up Sam's spine at the sensation of Gabe's warm touch. The archangel was groping the inside of the man's thigh, getting dangerously close to his crotch. Sam stole a worried glance toward the babbling infant a few feet away as he reached down to stop Gabe's hand from going any further.

“Not in front of Jude,” Sam hissed, even though he was still smiling.

“Ah, he's just a baby. He doesn't know any better,” Gabriel whispered.

Sam was about to forcefully remove Gabe's wandering hand, when Dean started jogging up the hill. Luckily, the older brother's arrival made Gabe's hand drop away from Sam's thigh. Everyone watched as Dean crawled up to sit on the blanket next to Cas and lift Jude into his arms. The little baby giggled as Dean bounced him in the air a few times.

“Okay. Are you ready to see some fireworks, little man? Huh? You wanna see the sparkly lights?” Dean asked as he gently tickled Jude's tummy.

The baby smiled and laughed in response, even though he was probably unable to comprehend what Dean was actually saying. But Jude's smile was infectious; causing everyone else to smile too. Gah, he was just so adorable; with those puffy cheeks, that dark hair, and those blue eyes. He was the perfect mix of Dean, Cas, and all the cuteness of a million teddy bears rolled into one.

Dean was grinning proudly when he turned the baby around in his arms. Once Jude was facing the bottom of the hill, Dean nodded to Cas and the angel raised his hand toward the pile of fireworks in the distance. One by one, he started lighting them up, making fire sizzle up the fuses and set them off. Lines of sparks zig-zagged up into the air and exploded, causing massive _booms_ to echo across the field. They burst overhead, displaying huge bouquets of colorful lights.

It seemed like everyone was keeping one eye on Jude, wanting to see how he was going to react. Sam figured that the initial blast of sound would shock him and make him cry – but it didn't. The baby only flinched and smiled, showing all three of his baby teeth. Dean seemed really excited by his son's enthusiastic reaction. He smiled and pointed to various bursts of light, whispering happily in the baby's ear. Cas was wearing a pleasant smile the whole time too, enjoying the sight of his family bonding.

Sam watched the three of them for a minute before looking back up to watch the colors blossom in the air. Though he was originally against it, Sam had to admit that Dean did a great job of picking out the best fireworks. Even when they were kids, Dean always knew exactly where to find the greatest shows. Both brothers loved the big fireworks; where the explosions seemed to engulf the whole sky and the lights cascaded down like willow tree branches. For the longest time, the Fourth of July was Sammy's favorite holiday because he got to sneak into parks and backyards to watch fireworks with his cool older brother.

Feeling nostalgic, Sam turned to ask Gabriel if he was enjoying the show too, but he lost his words. The archangel wasn't looking up at the sky. He was watching the baby instead. Gabe's golden eyes were blinking slowly toward Jude near them while a soft smile rested on his lips. Sam glanced back and forth between Gabe and the baby, seeing that his stare was almost vacant. What was he doing? Was he distracted by Jude's sheer cuteness? Or was he thinking about something?

“Gabe?” Sam asked, reaching back to rake a hand through the archangel's soft hair, “You okay?”

Gabriel's sight flickered back toward Sam, where his smile spread into a full grin. The archangel wiggled a little closer the the man on the blanket in order to crawl up into his lap. Sam swallowed harshly when Gabriel climbed up to sit on him, feeling Gabe's warm ass press right against his crotch. Gabriel roped both arms around Sam's neck and shoulders too, holding onto him the same way a little kid would hold onto a grown up.

“Look how happy they are, moose,” Gabe mentioned over the booming sound of fireworks, “It's like looking at a post card or something.”

Sam took the time to look back at Dean, Cas, and Jude, watching them giggle and laugh together under the glow of colorful lights. Yeah, Gabe was right. Sam had never seen them so happy before; especially his older brother. Dean had never laughed so much in his entire life...

“Yeah. It's nice,” Sam mused, hugging Gabriel's tiny form close.

For another moment, they were both quiet; simply watching their brothers play with their nephew. Dickie was running around too, trying his damnedest to catch the falling sparkles even though they disappeared long before touching the ground. Sam actually felt content, for once. Was this how normal people felt all the time?

“He is so adorable,” Gabriel mumbled.

Again, Sam blinked between the archangel in his arms and the rest of his family nearby, unsure of why Gabriel was pointing out the obvious.

“Uh, yeah. He is,” Sam agreed quietly.

Gabriel gave a smug smirk and tugged his arms a little tighter around Sam's shoulders. His eyes stayed glued to Jude, even as he brought his lips close to Sam's ear.

“Ours is going to be cuter,” the archangel whispered.

Sam felt like he had been shoved violently from a tall ledge. All the blood suddenly drained from his face and he nearly gasped in shock as he turned to fully gaze at Gabriel's face. Ours? _Ours_?! What the hell did he mean by that? Was Gabe talking about the two of _them_?! Did he seriously just mention having a _child_ with Sam?!

“O – Ours?” Sam stuttered, feeling his heart pound against his ribcage, “What are you talking about? Gabe, are – are you _pregnant?!_ ”

Gabriel's face skewed in confusion while his shiny eyes reflected the cascading lights from above them. His head started shaking back and forth, making his flared blonde hair whip around.

“What? No. I'm not pregnant,” Gabe quickly denied, “At least, not _yet_ , anyway...”

“Not yet?!” Sam repeated, “What do you mean 'not yet'? Are you saying that you want to have kids?!”

“No. I'm saying that I want to start a peach farm in Texas,” Gabriel spat sarcastically, “ _Yes_ , I want to have kids, Sammy. I mean, one kid would be fine. One little mini-moose to spoil rotten. What do you think?”

“I think you're crazy,” Sam scoffed.

Apparently, Gabriel had been hoping for a different answer. Because the moment Sam spoke his reply, it looked like Gabriel's heart shattered into a million pieces. His smile vanished and his eyes glimmered with pain. His arms fell a bit too, barely staying around Sam's neck. Sam could feel his own heart breaking the longer he stared at his disappointed angel.

“You... You don't want to have a baby?” Gabe mumbled, barely audible over the constant sound of booming fireworks.

Sam gulped hard, making his Adam's apple bob in his throat. As much as he wanted to give Gabriel an answer that would make him happy, Sam knew that he had to be completely honest. No matter how much it hurt.

“No,” he breathed, feeling guilt swell up in his chest, “I don't.”

After the words escaped Sam's mouth, Gabriel's arms slipped from his shoulders and 'thunked' between them. Off to the side, Dean and Cas were giggling and playing with their infant son, filling the air with the sound of merriment and delight. But an awkward silence had swept between Sam and Gabriel as they stared at each other in disbelief. The icy chill of disagreement had cooled down their warm embrace. And Sam had no idea when it was going to end.

The only thing he knew for sure was that he and Gabe were headed toward a very long discussion...

* * *

Millions and billions of years ago, when the world was fresh out of the box and still had that 'New Earth' smell, Gabriel was there. In fact, the archangel was standing right next to his old man when the guy spoke the infamous line, “ _Let there be light._ ” Of course, light appeared and all the angels 'oohed' and 'awed' at how amazing it was to behold the beginning of life. That was the first time Gabriel realized that he wanted to be just like his dad. Confident. Powerful. Maybe just a little dramatic. Those three traits were what he craved to have the most.

After five days of nonstop miracles on the home front, dear old dad decided that he was finally going to make the most precious creation that he had ever thought to conjure. Humans. Weird, naked little creatures that were sort of made out of his own image. The first man was created from the dust of the Earth and, again, Gabriel was standing right there when it happened; watching his dad play in the dirt like an animal. To be honest, he thought it was going to be a complete disaster. But when God blew air into the lungs of the hairless ape and the creature took his first breath, Gabriel was genuinely impressed. The very first human was actually beautiful in his own special way. Gabriel could still remember that his exact words on the subject were, “ _Ar bolape bellus, pilah irgil piripsax_ ,” which was Enochian for, “ _Damn, that thing is prettier than the streets of gold!_ ”

Then, after giving the human power over the entire world and letting him name every single animal in existence – which, by the way, Gabriel thought was a huge mistake. 'Hippopotamus?' 'Platypus?' Ugh, it was like listening to a first-grader name the class pets – God gave the man a mate. The first female. Then things pretty much went south from there. Long story short, they disobeyed the one rule they were ever given, ate the forbidden fruit, got kicked out of the garden, and then _bam_. Poor little Eve got saddled with the most painful punishment of all.

Childbirth.

Gabriel had to admit that the process by which Adam and Eve conceived their first child was pretty awesome. Watching it for the first time from heaven undoubtedly sparked his interest. The panting, the thrusting, the beating hearts, the trembling limbs – it all looked so _good_. And it wasn't long after the sex took place that Eve became pregnant. And, boy, did she swell up fast. The girl looked like a balloon with arms and legs. For nine months, she carried the child around inside her own body; waddling here and there, eating whatever Adam brought to her. Gabriel, and most of the other angels, kept an eye on her the whole time, waiting to see how the kid was gonna come out. Because they knew it was going to be painful whenever it happened.

And then one day, seemingly out of the blue, she went into labor. All of the angels – archangels included – were all crowded near the edge of heaven, gazing down on Earth in wonder. Gabriel was there too, watching with excited anticipation just like the rest of them. Back in those days, nobody had ever seen a pregnancy before, let alone a birth. Hours went by and poor little Eve cried and groaned while her body adjusted to make way for the baby. Little by little, a tiny head, torso, and limbs came out of her. And the whole of heaven was astonished once again by the magnificence of God's work.

Once the baby was born, he let out a soft cry. And that one tiny sound seemed to echo straight up to heaven and ping directly against Gabriel's heart. From the moment he saw Eve cradle her firstborn child in her arms and smile down at him, Gabriel knew he wanted to share in that inexplicable joy. He wanted that bond; that strong, intimate, loving bond between a parent and a child. Gabe wanted to be a good father, just like his father had been for him.

Ever since he witnessed the first baby being born on Earth, Gabriel wanted to have a baby of his own.

Fast forward a few millenniums after abandoning heaven to live amongst humans, Gabriel found himself living in the lap of luxury. Dad was gone, so the archangel took it upon himself to rid the world of evil in his own special way. He started giving assholes their 'just desserts'; making them suffer and go through the pains they caused everyone else before eventually killing them. While he bounced around the Earth and cast judgment on mankind, Gabriel forgot about his earlier ambition to have a child – because, frankly, the angel was starting to think that it was a stupid idea. Who in their right mind would want to settle down and have a baby with a cowardly archangel that had abandoned heaven and wasted his celestial talents by killing bad people and running from his own family?

That was about the time Sam Winchester came into the picture.

Gabriel had heard about the 'Brothers of the Apocalypse' a long before he left home. Dad had made it perfectly clear that one day Mikey and Luci were going to have an epic battle for the end of time, and that they needed to wear the Winchester brothers to do it. So naturally, when he heard that those two hunters were nearby, Gabriel took the opportunity to introduce himself by leading them on a fake hunt. It was the first time he had ever met them – and from the moment he laid eyes on him, Gabriel was fully aware of how much he favored Sam.

After that, it was fun game of cat and mouse – or, rather, cat and _moose –_ between Gabriel and Sam. They kept crossing each others' paths for a few years even after Gabe had stopped chasing him. Whether it was by Dad's plan or mere coincidence, Gabe didn't know why they kept meeting. All he really knew was that he had somehow fallen head-over-heels in love with the plaid-wearing, shaggy-haired, eight-foot-tall mess that was Sam Winchester. And it seemed like like Sam actually loved him back. Because whenever they were together, that kid never stopped smiling...

Now, they were officially _together_. A 'couple,' as present day humans would say. They held hands in the car, flirted with playful banter, and had wild animal sex in random motel rooms. They laughed all the time, told each other secrets, pulled pranks on their brothers, and took care of Dickie together. Things were going pretty well in Gabe and Sam's relationship – and it was made even better by the fact that they now had a sweet little nephew to spoil.

Jude was a cute baby. Small, reserved, and adorable as hell. And his surprise arrival had finally brought back all the excitement and hopefulness that Gabriel had felt way back at the beginning of time, when he watched his dad create Adam and saw Eve deliver her first child. Being around Jude made Gabriel crave to have _his own_ baby. It made him _yearn_ to be a parent just like he did all those millenniums ago. But even more than that, Jude made Gabriel want to have _Sam's_ baby. Jude looked exactly like his parents, with Cas's big blue eyes and Dean's forever-puckered lips. And Gabriel wanted his child to have _Sammy's_ good looks; his long legs, shaggy hair, and those adorable dimples. With every ounce of grace he possessed, Gabriel desperately wanted to have a baby with Sam Winchester.

But just a few moments ago, the archangel had received the most devastating news of his life. Sam boldly declared that he didn't want to have kids. And Gabriel couldn't stop himself from falling into a spiraling pit of pain and disappointment. No kids? No kids _ever_? But Gabriel had _always_ wanted a kid! Since the dawn of time! How was he supposed to react to that? How was he supposed to _cope_ with it?

When the last firework fizzled out overhead, Dean and Cas announced that it was time to leave. Gabriel was at a loss for words even as everyone started packing up and heading toward the Impala in the dark. Some kind of invisible wall had formed between him and Sammy, causing them both to clam up and stare off in different directions. Gabe was barely aware that his dog was walking along near his feet when he slowly opened the back door of the car and plopped down into the seat like a sack of depressed potatoes. Jude's car seat was lodged between him and Sam and, for once, he was actually grateful. Because he didn't know if he could talk to Sammy right now.

The trip back to the motel was quiet and Gabe spent the whole time looking down at his lap and thinking about things. Why didn't Sam want to have a kid? Was it because a baby required a lot of expensive things and he felt like he couldn't afford to have one? Was it because he didn't want to deal with the diaper changes and the one-in-the-morning feeding times? Because if that was the case, Sam didn't need to worry about it. Gabe was totally ready to take on all the dirty responsibilities of having a baby. Plus, with his grace, almost nothing was impossible. Hell, he could change a diaper with the snap of his fingers. Parenthood was going to be a piece of cake for them. Didn't Sam know that?

Back at the motel, Gabe shook himself out of his own thoughts long enough to help Cas get Jude out of the car. The baby had fallen asleep during the ride back and Gabriel was extra careful when he scooped the little guy into his arms and passed him off to Cas. An odd twinge of heartache echoed down into his stomach as he felt his nephew's warm little body slip from his grasp. Damn, it was so hard to let go of a tiny baby like that...

“Goodnight, brother,” Cas whispered, already heading toward his and Dean's room with Jude, “I'll see you in the morning.”

“Yeah. Catch you later, baby bird,” Gabriel replied quietly.

The archangel took a deep breath and finally turned around to look at Sam again. The towering beanpole was already at their motel room door, holding it open with one hand. A night breeze was tossing his lengthy hair around, making the dark strands brush across his pretty face as he nodded toward the inside of the room. He obviously wanted to get inside so they could be alone and talk.

Not wanting to keep his giant moose waiting, Gabriel shuffled his way into the room with Dickie close by his feet. He flipped the light on and watched the dog sniff around the floor while Sam pulled the door closed behind them with a gentle _click_. Yep. That sealed it. They were definitely alone. Normally, Gabe would be ready to climb Sam like a tree and make out with him right about now. But not tonight. Tonight, the archangel wanted answers.

“So, uh... No kids, huh?” Gabe causally mentioned, turning around to look up at his boyfriend with a raised eyebrow, “Why not? Are you allergic to them? Do they make you break out in hives or something?”

Sam exhaled a huge breath and raked a hand through his gorgeous main of hair as he walked over to the mini fridge to grab a bottle of water. It seemed like he was trying to keep his eyes away from Gabriel's; like he was too afraid – or too ashamed – to look at him.

“No. I just don't want one, okay?” he mumbled, taking a drink.

Gabriel sighed and crossed his arms, feeling unconvinced. Sam played with Jude all the time and it seemed like he really loved it. How could Sammy say that he didn't want kids when he clearly loved hanging out with his baby nephew?

“If Jude could talk, he would say that's bullshit,” Gabe pointed out, staring up at the back of Sam's head, “Besides, why wouldn't you want to have a kid, Sammy-boy? They're so cute!”

“Gabe,” Sam sighed in a whiny tone, finally turning around to meet his eyes, “Don't you remember how dangerous it was for Cas to have a baby? We had to surround him with angel wards just so he could bring Jude into the world. What makes you think our kid would be any safer?”

“Because I'm a freakin' archangel, kiddo. No one in their right mind would ever try to cross me, especially if I was pregnant,” Gabriel pointed out, “Besides, I'm pretty sure heaven got the message to leave us alone when I went up there and vaporized half the place to save you.”

Sam paused to take another breath and look away again. Gabe could see, in those beautiful blinking eyes of his, that he was thinking quickly, trying to come up with more reasons.

“Gabriel, I kill things on an almost daily basis,” Sam said more quietly, “This world is full of monsters. I – I don't want to bring another person into this horrible world and make them go through the things that I've gone through -”

“Our kid would have part of my grace, Sam. It won't be as hard for them as it was for you -”

“I wouldn't make a good father, anyway,” Sam interrupted, still listing off excuses, “Dean is different. He's had experience taking care of kids, but not me. I'm too messed up. I'd just end up ruining it, like I ruin everything else. Everyone around me dies, Gabe. And our kid might -”

Gabriel flashed across the room in order to reach up and cover Sam's mouth. He couldn't stand listening to the poor guy talk about himself like that. Sam was worth so much more than he could ever imagine. The man looked down into the archangel's eyes and Gabe could clearly see his pain.

“Stop lying to yourself, Sammy-boy,” he said, giving a soft smile as he let his hand slip away from Sam's mouth, “You're perfect. And you know for a fact that our kid would be completely perfect too. Come on. I know you've had baby fever before. Haven't you _ever_ thought about having kids?”

“Yes,” Sam blurted, his eyes darting away again, “But that was a long, long time ago... back in college...”

All of the sudden, Gabriel could feel his heart beating awkwardly inside his own chest. Oh. Right. Somehow, he had forgotten all about Sam's past. Now-a-days, whenever Sam mentioned 'college,' he wasn't referring to the place where he went to get a higher education. No. He was mentioning the period of his life when he was actually _happy_. When he actually _cared_ about himself and his own future. Back when he was with _her_...

A solid rock seemed to manifest in the pit of Gabe's stomach and he had to look away from Sam for a second. Wow. Everything seemed to make sense, now. Sam didn't want to have kids – not because he was afraid of the world or because he hated himself, although some of that was probably true. It was because the last time he thought about it, he had been with Jessica. It was no wonder there was so much pain in his pretty eyes when he talked about it. Every time someone mentioned kids, Sam was probably forced to relive his past girlfriend's death again. And Gabriel felt terrible, because this time it was his fault.

“Oh,” the archangel breathed.

Gabe took a step back and glanced around, briefly seeing his dog climb up on the bed side them. He swayed around for a second, not sure of what else to say. Damn, his chest was aching so bad. Why did thinking about Sam's happy past make him hurt so much?

“Fair enough,” Gabe mumbled, “I... I won't bring it up anymore, then.”

The archangel used his grace to pull a sucker out of thin air and popped it into his mouth before turning to walk toward the bed. Dickie was sitting up on the edge, wagging his tail and watching Gabe come closer. Gabriel gave his little dog a few pats on the head before plopping himself down on the mattress. He didn't feel like talking anymore. Hell, he didn't feel like having sex, either. The conversation about kids had sucked all the joy out of the room, leaving him to feel like a sack of depressed potatoes again. He rolled the lollipop around in his mouth while he blinked toward the far wall, trying his best to find some joy in his favorite food. Candy always brought him happiness. But it sure as hell wasn't working this time, dammit.

Out of nowhere, a giant hand grabbed Gabriel's shoulder and rolled him over, tossing him onto his back and making him face the ceiling. Sam was suddenly hovering over him on the bed with his lengthy hair hanging down. Gabe stared up at Sam's face, eying his strong jawline and perfect eye color as the man reached down and plucked the candy out of his mouth. He tossed the sucker over his shoulder before craning down to smash his mouth against Gabe's. Gabriel let out a small 'mmm' as he sank fully into his sudden kiss and let himself drown in it. Candy might not have been able to make him feel better, but Sammy's wet mouth sure did...

Sam swirled his tongue around Gabe's for a second, making tingles crawl up the archangel's spine, before pulling away to breathe. One of his huge hands came up to rake its way through Gabriel's hair, creating goosebumps on the archangel's skin. Gnah. Gabe loved feeling Sam's hands on him...

“Hey... Don't I owe you a belly rub?” Sam asked, his voice low and playful.

A genuine smile finally returned to Gabriel's mouth. He was glad that all the tension was finally breaking up and disappearing.

“Damn right, you do,” Gabe replied.

Sam let out a chuckle before leaning back down to recapture Gabriel's mouth. Although the idea of having a baby was still tugging at his heart, the archangel put it aside for the time being. Right now, the only thing he wanted to do was be happy and play with his moose.


	2. Chapter 2

Morning light was starting to shine through the curtains of the window when Sam rolled over to snuggle deeper into the sheets. A chill had raced down his back, so he searched around blindly for Gabriel's body next to him, knowing it had the power to warm him back up. Sam was still mostly asleep as he used his hand to feel around the bed in an effort to find his archangel. But strangely, the only thing his fingers came across was a soft bundle of fur.

Sam rubbed his eyes and blinked them open to see what he had touched. Dickie was there in the bed beside him, laying on top of his stuffed moose. Thankfully, the dog wasn't molesting the poor toy this morning. He was just sleeping on top of it with his wet nose nuzzled between the puffy antlers. Sam glanced around the rest of the room too, but didn't see Gabriel anywhere. Where did he go? Was he in the bathroom? Did he fly off to be alone during the night? Was he still mad about that whole baby thing? Sam shifted to sit up, suddenly feeling anxious.

“Gabe?” he called, staring toward the bathroom.

For a few seconds, there was only silence. Dickie raised his head and tilted it toward Sam, but other than that, there was no movement either. Sam was starting to think that Gabe was ignoring him – when his cell phone 'dinged.' The man reached over and grabbed the device from the bedside table and opened the screen to see a brand new text message.

_Mornin' moose. I'm next door. Bring the furball. Xoxo. - G_

Sam read the message a few times, secretly trying to decipher Gabriel's mood based on the text. But it was difficult to do just by simply reading a few words in his own head. Hmm. Maybe Gabe wasn't mad after all. Maybe he just got up early to go hang out with Jude...

Sam sighed and tossed his phone on the bed before climbing to his feet. He knew that he and Dean had to go out today for a case, so he quickly got dressed and shaved. He straightened up his hair too, before calling for Dickie and heading out the door. Dean and Cas's motel room was right next to his and Gabe's and Sam walked over to let himself in without even knocking. Barging into each others' rooms had become a pretty common occurrence ever since Jude was born.

As he strode inside, Sammy noticed that the air in Dean and Cas's room was thick with the scent of coffee. He breathed in deeper as he looked around, seeing Cas placing plastic coffee cups on the table and Dean putting Jude's highchair together near one of the beds. Dean paused to look up at Sam when he entered and flashed him a small smile.

“Mornin' Sammy,” he mumbled.

Sam gave a slight wave to his brother as he continued to look around. Dickie – who had carried his stuffed moose with him – made himself at home by jumping up onto their bed and laying back down. Gabriel, though, wasn't in the room. And neither was Jude. Sam walked a little further in, still searching for his archangel.

“Where's Gabe?” he asked to no one in particular.

“He is dressing Jude in the bathroom,” Cas answered, holding out a cup toward Sam.

A bit of relief calmed Sam's nerves as he took the coffee and nodded. Well, at least he had finally tracked the guy down. Now that he knew where Gabe was, Sam could hear the angel talking to the baby through the thin walls of the motel room, saying things like, ' _Who's the cutest sidekick in the whole world? You are!_ ' and ' _I'm gonna get your toes! I'm gonna get your toes!_ ' Sam forced himself to take a sip of the hot coffee in his hand, feeling utter guilt cloud his conscious. Dammit. Why did Gabe have to be so good with kids?

“Do you need me to pick up anything while I'm out, Cas?” Dean asked, clicking the top part of the highchair into place, “Do we need more diapers? Formula? Baby food?”

“No, Dean. The baby's supplies should last for a few more days,” Cas replied, turning to bring Dean a cup of coffee.

Dean took it and sighed before sipping some of the steaming liquid. Though he seemed pretty tired, a smile snaked its way across his lips.

“Mmm. And what about _our_ supplies?” he grinned.

Cas's face turned a bright shade of pink as he flashed a timid glance toward Sam. Oh, God. They were talking about sex stuff, weren't they? Sam shifted around, trying his best to act like he wasn't listening.

“ _Our_ supplies are fine as well, Dean,” the angel whispered.

Cas quickly reached down and ran a hand through Dean's hair before turning to retrieve Jude's diaper bag. Sam eyed his older brother from across the room, noticing how exhausted he looked. There were dark circles under his eyes, which made it clear that he hadn't gotten much sleep. But as tired and stressed as Dean seemed to be, he was still joking around and wearing a smile. That was one of the things Sam admired about his brother; his ability to take on anything and still retain his humor...

It was also one of the things that made Dean better suited for parenthood than Sam would ever be...

“Ta-da!”

Everybody turned to look toward the bathroom at the sound of Gabriel's voice. The archangel was standing in the doorway, holding up Jude like Simba from the Lion King in order to display his fresh new outfit. The baby had on a cute little pair of denim jeans and tiny boots, along with a little plaid shirt. Jude wiggled around in the air and smiled at his parents while he chewed on his own fingers.

“He's officially a Winchester,” Gabriel announced, bringing Jude down to place him on his hip, “Isn't that right, my little plaid-wearing sidekick?”

Jude giggled out loud when Gabe's hand swooped down to tickle his belly. Sam couldn't stop the smile from lighting up his own face. Ah, man, Gabe was so happy when he was around Jude. Sam wished that Gabe could be this happy all the time...

“Alright. Daddy wants kisses before he leaves,” Dean sighed, getting up from the bed to walk over to the angels, “Come here, little man. Gimme some love.”

Gabe handed off the baby to Dean, who promptly started pecking Jude's whole face with kisses. The baby giggled and clung to Dean's head with tiny hands while he was being showered with affection, still grinning with all three of his little white teeth. Again, Sam found himself grinning right along with everyone else. It was so nice to watch Dean fill the role of 'dad' and see Jude being given so much love.

While Dean kissed his son goodbye, Sam's eyes flickered over to Gabriel's face – and his heart ached. Gabe's eyes were drinking in the sight of Dean and Jude's interaction, staring at it with a dim smile and slumped shoulders. It was obvious that he desperately wanted what Dean had. Gabriel wanted to be a parent so bad, and it clearly hurt him to see other people living it. Sam gulped hard, tasting bitter coffee on his tongue. Shit. He wished that he could give Gabriel what he wanted... but it was just too damn hard...

“Okay,” Dean grinned, leaning toward Cas, “Now it's your turn, Papa.”

Cas was wearing a bashful smirk when Dean's lips collided with his mouth. While the two of them kissed, Sam walked around them to get to Gabriel. The archangel's golden eyes were already on him, watching him come closer with a look of mellow giddiness. Sam reached out to pull Gabe close, tugging the guy against his own torso to stare down at him properly. After discussing the sensitive topic of children and getting all those bad emotions stirred up between them, Sam felt like he needed to remind Gabriel just how important he was to him.

“I love you, Gabe,” Sam whispered sincerely, raking his fingers through the archangel's soft blonde hair, “I really do. With all my heart.”

“I know, kiddo,” Gabriel smiled, tightening his arms around Sam's lower back, “I love you too.”

Sam exhaled and lowered his head to bring their mouths together. This kiss was slow and deliberate, holding traces of somberness and honesty. Sam's lips clung to Gabe's for as long as possible, breathing in his sweet cotton candy scent and savoring the feeling of his wet tongue before Gabe pulled away.

“Now go out there and kick some ass,” the archangel winked, smacking _Sam's_ ass in the process.

Sam held down a chuckle as he shook his head and stepped away. It was so nice to be back on joking terms with the trickster again. He gave his archangel a slight wave before heading for the door. Dean was right behind him with the car keys in hand, still waving toward Cas and Jude as he went.

“Daddy will be back soon. I promise,” he called to his son, who seemed like he was close to crying, “You just keep uncle Gabe in line 'til I get back, okay? Don't let him mess with Daddy's stuff.”

Gabriel scoffed and shook his head at Dean's comment as the two Winchester brothers finally exited the room and started off toward the Impala. Sam stole a couple of glances at Dean while they walked, watching the smile linger on his face. It remained there even after they sat down in the car. Geez, it was like the guy was walking on sunshine or something. Dean _never_ smiled this much. What was causing him to beam so brightly like that? Dean eventually noticed that Sam was staring at him because his eyebrows drew together and he tilted his head.

“What?” he asked, turning the key to let the Impala roar to life.

“Nothing,” Sam mumbled, “It's just... You're walking around like you won the lottery or something.”

Dean gave a single laugh as he backed out of the motel parking lot and pulled onto the main road.

“Yeah, well, I kinda _did_ win the lottery, Sammy,” he replied with a shrug.

Although Dean didn't elaborate on his statement, Sam sort of caught the meaning. Dean finally had what he always wanted; a life filled with people that he could love. He had an affectionate spouse, a beautiful child, a brother-in-law that he could joke around with, and a younger brother that still admired him more than anyone else. Dean was basically living the dream and Sam couldn't have been more happy for him.

For a while during the car ride, the brothers were quiet. Dean hummed along with the radio while he drove, tapping his fingers on the steering wheel to the beat. But Sam was somewhere else; lost to his own thoughts. When Gabriel brought up the idea of them having a child together, Sammy was completely caught off guard. It frightened him, because he immediately thought about all of the children that he had witnessed being hurt by ghosts, demons, and monsters while on the job. The life of a hunter was no place for a child. And he ought to know, because he had been a hunter's child once.

Sam told Gabriel that he didn't want kids – but he wasn't being completely honest at the time. His fear had spoken for him before he could explain why. Deep down, in the rarest and most genuine parts of his soul, Sam really _did_ want to have a baby. He was just too scared to admit it. Because admitting it would mean putting it at risk of being taken away. Why suffer the fear and worry of possibly losing a child when denying your need for one was so much easier? Besides, nobody was getting hurt this way... Nobody except Gabriel... And, dammit, the last thing Sam ever wanted to do was hurt Gabriel...

With another large breath, Sam turned to look at his brother in the seat beside him again, listening to him sing along with the radio. Man, how did Dean do it? How did he not worry about his son's safety all the time? How could he be so absolute happy when he knew that the world was full of monsters? More importantly, how could Sam ask him these questions without seeming intrusive?

“Dean,” Sam mumbled, reaching over to turn the radio down, “Can I ask you something?”

“Sure, Sammy. What's up?” Dean replied.

Sam took a second to find the right words as he stared out at the moving double lines on the road in front of them.

“What's it like being a dad?” he eventually said.

Dean stole a brief glance toward Sam's direction, probably wondering why he was asking such a weird question, but answered it anyway.

“Well, let me put it this way,” he began, “I didn't get any sleep last night, I haven't showered in three days, my hair smells like banana baby food, my wallet is completely empty, I haven't gotten laid in almost two weeks... and I could not be any happier,” he said, pausing to flash a grin, “I don't know, man, it's like having a baby changes your whole perspective. You've suddenly got this little person that needs you, and loves you, and takes up all your time. Everything else just becomes unimportant, you know?”

“Yeah, but, aren't you scared for him? Don't you worry about his safety?” Sam mentioned.

“Only every damn second of my life,” Dean replied with a nod, “Hell, I'm afraid just to walk into another room without him sometimes. But then I remember that Cas is there, and Cas never lets that kid out of his sight. Jude's always got someone looking out for him. Whether its me, or Cas, or you, or Gabe. The kid pretty much has his own secret service.”

Dean's smirk grew and Sam could feel himself starting to smile right along with him. Dean made a fantastic point. If anyone ever tried to hurt Jude, they would have to go through a wall of highly trained hunters and deadly angels to do it. And the thought made Sam feel kind of relieved. Complete safety was one thing he could add to the 'pro' list of having a child. Along with an endless amount of happiness...

After almost half an hour of driving, Dean and Sam arrived at their destination. It was a warehouse complex that supposedly stored brick and stone siding for carpenters and contractors, but the Winchesters suspected that someone was secretly hoarding shipments of the Croatian virus here, too. Hoping to get a subtle jump on things, Dean and Sam decided to poke around and see who was in charge. The brothers parked near the exit and climbed out to glance around, noticing that there were many large trucks moving around storage containers. Over the top of the car, Dean met eyes with Sam.

“We might need to pack a few more mags for this. Just in case,” the older brother said.

“I'll get them,” Sam offered.

The taller man quickly rounded the car to get to the trunk where he popped open the lid and the false bottom inside. He used both hands to search around for a few more magazines of ammo – when a roll of paper fell out of the trunk. Sam looked down at the large scroll on the ground with curved eyebrows as he bent over to pick it up. The paper was really thick, almost like card stock, and was completely white. Sam had never seen it in the trunk before, so he gently rolled it open to figure out what it was.

Once the scroll was open, Sam discovered that it was a map of the United States. It was mostly white and missing a compass, which made Sam think that it was the kind of map that teachers used to educate students about the geography of the country. But upon closer inspection, Sam also noticed that some of the states were actually colored in. _By hand_. South Dakota, Utah, California, Minnesota, Colorado – they were all filled in with different colors of marker and pencil. Sam studied the map for a second, trying to figure out what it meant. Who had been coloring this map? And why was it in the trunk of the Impala?

“Dean,” Sam called, “What is this?”

The older brother made his way to the back of the car, where he glanced over to see the map. As soon as his eyes fell on it, Dean's expression softened and his smile returned at full capacity.

“Oh,” he said, stepping over to help Sam hold it open, “I, uh, I bought this a few months ago for Jude.”

“Jude? Why?” Sam asked, knowing that a five-month-old baby was too young to learn geography.

“Well, I couldn't exactly afford to get him a baby book, so I got this for him instead. I've been coloring in the states that he's been to and done things in. Like, South Dakota was where he was born,” Dean explained, pointing toward the blue state, “And Minnesota was where his first tooth came in. Utah is where he said 'dada' for the first time, Colorado is where he first started eating baby food. And, uh, he was conceived in California, so I figured that counts too... I know. Sounds stupid, right?”

“ _No_ ,” Sam breathed, feeling like there was something caught in his throat, “Hell no, Dean. This – this is the sweetest thing ever.”

Sam's eyes traveled all over the map for a second longer while his heart swelled up with emotion. It was so sweet of Dean to keep track of his son's milestones like this. Now, whenever Jude was old enough, Dean would have something to give him that showed him just how much his parents cared. Man, Sam really loved this idea. He loved how personal and detailed this map was. He loved how much effort and devotion Dean put into raising his child and how it effected Dean's whole personality.

But more than anything, it made Sam actually _want_ to have a child of his own...

“Cas likes it, too,” Dean mentioned, delicately tugging the map out of Sam's hand to look at it properly, “He says we should make it a point to travel to all fifty states so that we can color in the whole thing. But I'm not so sure about Hawaii. Jude hates flying. Just like his old man,” he paused to roll the map up and toss it into the trunk, “Well, you ready, Sammy?”

Sam took a second to gather himself, trying to get the fluttery sensation of joy in his stomach to subside before forcing a nod.

“Yeah,” he smiled, “Let's do this.”

The Winchester brothers grabbed some supplies out of the trunk and did what they came to do. They poked around the warehouse complex, talked to a few people, inspected a couple of crates, and searched for anything out of the ordinary. But Sam found it hard to focus on his mission because he was thinking about parenthood instead.

In his mind, Sam was pitting the good against the bad, trying to weigh out the pros and cons of having a child in an effort to reach a decision. Did he want to have a baby? Yes. Was it a good idea for a hunter to have a baby? Probably not. Would he be able to give his child everything he wanted to, like a big backyard and financial stability? No. But could he make up for it with love and care? Yes. Back and forth, Sam fought with himself, trying to make his mind up about what to do. And by the end of the day, he was exhausted with mental stress and anxiety. Dammit, why was this so difficult? Shouldn't something like this be an easy decision? Why was it so hard to chose whether to have a baby or not?

After searching the warehouse complex – and not finding a single trace of anything suspicious – Dean and Sam decided to call it a day and head back to their angels in the Impala. Sam was quiet the whole way there, still lost in his own internal war about parenthood. It was about three o'clock by the time they made it to the motel. Dean cut the engine and they both exited the car to stroll through the parking lot toward their rooms, not saying a word to each other. But about half way there, Cas suddenly burst out of the door. The angel came jogging up to Dean, wearing a look of excitement and heat.

“Dean,” Cas breathed, reaching up to grab both of Dean's shoulders, “Gabriel is currently in the process of putting Jude to sleep. You and I have approximately forty-seven minutes to be alone before our son wakes up from his nap and demands to be fed.”

Sam instantly read between the lines of Cas's statement. And judging by the look of pure lust that bloomed across Dean's face, so did he. Cas was saying that they only had forty-seven minutes to go somewhere and have a quickie before the baby woke up. Dean spun around to face Sam, wearing a pleading look.

“Can we use your room, Sam?” he asked.

Sam rolled his eyes, but gestured toward his room anyway.

“Just go,” he smiled.

Once they received the green light, Dean and Cas immediately started off toward Sam and Gabe's room, already grabbing each others' clothes along the way. They were making out before they even got inside; stumbling over the threshold with their mouths connected and hands groping. Sammy shook his head at their desperation as he finished the journey to the other room. It was good to know that parenthood didn't effect anyone's sex drive...

Sam quietly entered Dean and Cas's room, where he knew Gabe and the baby would be. It was kind of dark inside because the thick curtains were blocking out the sun and only one lamp was lit. The atmosphere was quiet and gentle; the perfect setting to put a baby to sleep. Sam remained silent and motionless by the door when he spotted Gabe across the room. The archangel had Jude in the crook of his arm and was reaching down into the crib with the other, searching around for something while Jude babbled to him.

“Buh?” the baby seemed to ask, “Buh?”

“Yeah, I know you need the bee. Don't get your diaper in a twist, Junior, I'm getting it,” Gabriel replied.

He retrieved the stuffed bumble bee out of Jude's crib and handed it to the baby, who instantly cuddled it against his cheek. Jude never fell asleep without that plushie bee in his hands. It had been his favorite toy ever since the day he was born. Once Jude had his stuffed animal, Gabe gave him a pacifier and sat down in a chair near the lamp.

“How's that, kid? You all comfy? Ready for a song?” Gabe cooed.

Jude didn't reply. He only blinked slowly up at Gabe and sucked on his pacifier, seeming tired. But Gabe appeared to take the silence as a positive answer because he began to gently rock back and forth in the seat. He started humming a tune as well... A familiar tune that made Sam's ears perk up and his heart melt...

It was 'Heat of the Moment.'

For several long seconds, Sam was awestruck; frozen by the door in the dark while his heart pumped raw emotion through his veins. Gabe was singing _their song_ to Jude. He was humming all the notes in at a soft pace and staring down at the baby in his arms with love and affection. Gabriel was already filling the role of a parent and he didn't even have a child yet.

Just like that, Sam had his mind made up. He needed to have a child with Gabriel. It didn't matter whether Sam was a hunter or not. It didn't matter how much money he had in his pocket, or how many monsters there were in the world, or if there was enough room in the Impala for another car seat. In that moment, the only thing Sam cared about was becoming a father. Everything else would have to work itself out, because he couldn't deny it anymore. Sam _wanted_ a baby. And he wanted to have it with Gabe.

Jude was fast asleep by the time Gabriel got to the second chorus. His pacifier was motionless in his mouth and his hands were limp around his stuffed bee. Gabriel quietly let his hum fade out and stared down at the baby for a few minutes – just taking in the sight of how cute Jude was – before carefully climbing to his feet. The archangel walked back over to the crib, where he gently laid the baby down inside. In the meantime, Sam found his own feet and began to shuffle forward. There was a tug in his chest reeling him toward Gabriel like an invisible fishing line. He couldn't wait to tell Gabe how he felt; to share these bursting emotions with him.

By the time Gabriel turned back around, Sam was dropping to his knees in front of him, unable to even stand up properly. The archangel's golden eyes flashed wide when he saw Sam kneeling down on the floor. His eyebrows knitted together in confusion as he stared awkwardly at the man before him.

“Sammy-boy? Are you okay?” he asked, sounding lost.

“Gabe,” Sam breathed, reaching up to grab both of the archangel's hands, “... I want to have a baby with you.”

Gabriel's expression instantly changed, shifting from confusion to total shock. He blinked down at Sam a few times while his face turned pale, seeming hesitant.

“A baby?” he repeated, his throat quivering with a gulp, “You... You mean you really want to?”

Sam nodded quickly, feeling a smile start to inch across his own face. Yes. Hell yes. He was definitely sure this time. No more fear. No more doubt. Sam wanted this more than anything. A powerful look of awe and joy suddenly lit up Gabriel's face and his honey eyes started to glisten. He swayed around with a grin for a second before reaching out to cradle Sam's head with soft hands.

“Oh my dad, I've waited my _whole life_ for this! _Yeah_ , let's have a baby, Sammy!” he replied, his voice cracking a bit.

Both of them gave slight chuckles of absolute excitement before Sam scurried to his feet to wrap Gabe into a fierce hug. It seemed like the were both on the verge of tears; clinging to one another and beaming with joy. Sam was finally experiencing the passion and delight that Gabriel had been feeling all along and he couldn't have been more happy.

“Let's try tonight,” the archangel suddenly suggested, raising up to give Sam a huge pair of shiny golden puppy eyes, “Can we try for one tonight, kid?”

“Yeah,” Sam agreed with a smile, “Let's do this.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I hope that all of you are enjoying Jude's cute little cameos and seeing how much he's grown over his first few months on Earth. (Btw, in case you didn't make the connection, that stuffed bee he's holding in this chapter is the same one Dickie retrieved for Cas in “Purpose.”) :D As you can see, there will be plenty of Sabriel 'baby making' in the next chapter, so brace yourselves for some smut. ;)


	3. Chapter 3

Gabriel and Sam stood side-by-side near Jude's crib, trying their best to hide their own excitement as they watched Dean and Cas dress the baby for bed. It was already dark outside and Gabe and Sam were anxious to be alone and get a jump on the whole baby-making thing. Luckily, their brothers appeared oblivious to the fact that they had something special planned. Neither of them even looked up from Jude when Sam started talking.

“Um, Gabe and I are gonna go out tonight,” the kid mentioned, biting down a smile, “I don't know how long we're gonna be gone so, uh, if you need us, just call my phone, okay?”

“But try not to need us. Because we don't want to be bothered,” Gabriel quickly added, warranting an elbow nudge from Sam.

Dean nodded without raising his head. Cas muttered a soft ' _Okay_.' And Jude just babbled incoherently on the bed. Clearly, none of them were interested in what Sam and Gabe were going to do – which was perfect. Because Gabe didn't really want to tell them about trying to have a baby until after he was already pregnant. The last thing he wanted to do with this precious miracle was jinx it. Gabe reached over and took Sam's large hand and headed for the door, tugging him away while Dickie followed closely at their feet.

“See you guys in the morning! Adios!” Gabe called.

The only thing Dean and Cas did was offer a few boring waves as their brothers left the room. Sam and Gabe, on the other hand, were still holding back smiles and muffled laughter. Once they were outside in the parking lot, they turned toward each other to share a couple of wide grins. Ah, man, Gabriel was so glad to see that smile on Sammy's pretty face. It seemed like he was finally ready to have a baby. Or, at least, ready to _make_ one...

“So, why do we have to leave in order to do this, Gabe? Why can't we just use our motel room?” he asked, already tugging at the archangel's jacket sleeve.

The feeling of Sam pulling at his clothes was making blood rush toward Gabriel's crotch. As much as he wanted to indulge in Sam's touch and just get it on right there in the parking lot, Gabe made himself focus and answer the question.

“Because of my grace, Samsquatch,” the archangel replied, “Unless you want me to demolish this entire block of buildings and knock out the power to the whole city, we need to go somewhere secluded. Like Alaska. Or the Arctic.”

“Okay...” Sam gulped, “But could you at least pick somewhere a little closer to the equator? Isn't there some abandoned place in America we could use?”

“Sure. There's all kinds,” Gabe nodded, “Where would you like to go, kid? Alcatraz? Lake Michigan? Area 51?”

“Er, how about a place with an actual bed?” he suggested, “Like an abandoned farmhouse way out in the country or something?”

Gabe sucked in a small gasp of realization. Oh, yeah! A farmhouse! That sounded like a perfect place to make a baby! Sammy was so smart. That was one of the reasons why Gabe loved him so much; because he was always so considerate and thoughtful about everything. Plus, he always had the greatest ideas.

“You've got it, moose-cakes,” Gabe winked.

With the snap of his fingers, the archangel immediately transported all three of them – Dickie included – to the nearest vacant farmhouse. It was in the southern part of Kansas on the outskirts of Winfield, where the ground was so flat you could almost see the next county over. The night sky was overhead and there was no street light, which made it difficult to see the area. But the farmhouse was visible even in the dark. It was situated in the very middle of an overgrown field, surrounded by tall dead crops and a broken silo. An old dirt path led out toward another road at least a mile away, but it clearly hadn't been used in years.

The house itself was old and rickety, looking like it had survived The Great Depression. The paint on the wood was starting to chip away after years of harsh southern winds and the porch steps were broken, giving off an unwelcoming vibe. Gabe was sure that the house's intimidating appearance was going to startle Sam, so he quickly snapped his fingers again, using some of his grace to kick start the power. All the lights inside flickered to life, making the whole house glow with a warm ambiance.

Once their new love nest was all lit up, Gabe turned around to look up into Sammy's big eyes, seeing admiration and heat in them. Gabriel's hands found Sam's torso in the dark where they ran up and down the kid's washboard abs through his thin shirt.

“How's this, Sammy-boy?” Gabe purred, nodding toward the house.

“It's nice,” Sam smiled, edging toward the porch, “Is anyone home?”

“Nope. Just us,” Gabe replied.

Their feet were starting to shuffle in union toward the house, kicking up dust in the process. Arousal and lust were definitely growing between them. Gabe could practically feel it in his bloodstream. Sam's huge hands were clinched tight around Gabe's jacket as they stumbled up the broken porch steps, yanking the archangel along as they drew closer to the front door. The man's desperate actions were echoing straight to Gabe's dick the whole time, making it flick to life inside his clothes.

“Is... Is there a bed in here?” Sam asked, already sounding out of breath.

Gabriel used a single hard press of his shoulder to budge the front door open. The rusty hinge at the top broke, making the wooden slab hang crookedly in the doorway. But Gabe and Sam didn't care. Their eyes were locked and their hands were grabbing as they wandered aimlessly through the house, getting so close to having sex that they could almost _taste it_.

“Yep. It's right here, kiddo,” Gabe answered.

Sammy took half a second to glance toward the right, where Gabriel made a brand new queen-sized bed materialize in a vacant room. He had used some of his grace to pull it out of thin air, but he didn't look at it. He was too busy staring Sam's long neck; watching the thick veins pump blood through his body and memorizing the way his shaggy brown hair brushed against the soft skin. Damn. That was another thing that Gabe loved about Sam; his ability to be so sexy without even trying. All the kid had to do was stand there and he was able to make Gabriel fall harder and harder for him without saying a word...

“S – So, um... Is this going to be different than usual?” Sam asked, his eyes dropping to stare down at Gabe's clothed body, “I mean, making a baby with an archangel... What do I have to do?”

“You just focus on firing your gun, baby moose. I'll handle the rest,” Gabriel winked.

Sam was able to give a slight nod before his patience vanished. His mouth suddenly swooped down to capture Gabriel's, smothering him with a sudden kiss as he backed toward the bed. Dickie followed close by, trying to dodge Sam's huge feet as they walked. Gabe could feel all his vessel's nerves lighting up like a circuit board as he tumbled onto the mattress with his gigantic lover. Ah yeah, this was it. The time had finally come. This was going to be the best – and most productive – sex of Gabriel's life.

When Gabe said that he could 'handle the rest,' it was more of a hope than an actual promise. In theory, Gabriel knew what he had to do in order to get pregnant. Whenever Sam was about to come, the archangel had to let his true form poke out of his vessel a little bit, so that his grace could soak up all the man juice and fuse their genetic material together. It sounded simple enough – until he added in the fact that tiniest bit of his grace could wipe out the entire farmhouse in the blink of an eye. Letting himself out of his vessel without hurting Sam was going to be the tricky part. But Gabe was pretty confident that he could keep it under control. Hell, he had been inhabiting the same vessel for millenniums. He knew exactly where to draw the line with his true form. Controlling it was going to be a piece of cake... Right?

For a few minutes, Gabriel forgot about the impending grace crisis and let himself focus on Sam instead. He tried his best to start taking Sam's clothes off, but the kid was all mouth and hands, using that long tongue of his to swim between Gabe's teeth while he reached around to grope the archangel's ass. Oh yeah, Sammy had a thing for Gabe's ass. Gabe wasn't sure why the kid loved it so much. Maybe because it was jiggly and squeezable. But whatever the reason, Gabe reached down to undo his own belt and tug his own pants down, letting Sam's hands wander their way passed his underwear to get to the goods inside.

In the meantime, Gabriel took off the kid's shirt, ripping it open and sliding the fabric down his arms to expose his muscular torso. His broad chest and abs were as glorious and majestic as ever, lightly peppered with hair and etched with pumping veins. Damn, Sammy was so _sexy_. Gabe really needed to take stock of all his blessings and remember how lucky he was to have someone like Sam. The kid had street smarts, a good heart, _and_ a smokin' hot body. There wasn't a single flaw about him. Gabe had basically hit the soul mate jackpot...

With a few more tugs and wiggles, Gabe and Sam were both naked on the bed. They tossed their discarded clothes on the floor nearby, where Dickie sniffed around and romped in the warm fabric to make himself at home. Gabe took the time to straddle Sam's waist and sit up, getting into his favorite position. Their mouths briefly disconnected when Gabe reached down to situate their bodies. Sam's cock was already swollen and throbbing, laying heavily on his stomach like a heated metal rod. Man, Gabe loved Sam's dick. It was always so ridged and hard and long; like a train that went on for miles. The archangel used a bit of spit to lube up the hot shaft before directing it toward his own entrance.

“Mmm... Gabe,” Sam sighed from the bed, clinging to the archangel's hips the whole time.

Gabriel grinned down at Sam, feeling the man thrust a little bit to push his way inside. When it came to sex, Sam was always eager to start thrusting. It must have had something to do with all those years of being a nice, quiet, polite kid. Now that he was a fully grown – fully _endowed_ – adult, Sam didn't hold himself back anymore. Which was yet another reason why Gabriel loved him so much.

“Damn, Sammy-boy. You're so _hard_ for me,” Gabe whimpered, giving him some positive reinforcement.

That was all it took to get Sam on a roll. The kid almost sat up in bed to start rocking his hips, wrapping an arm around Gabriel's lower back for thrusting power. Gabe squeaked another high-pitched whimper as he lowered his head to meet Sam's panting mouth with his own. Shit, Sammy's veined dick was gliding in and out of his hole so forcefully, hard enough to stretch him open and leave him clinching for more. Gabriel bounced with the motion, wanting to give Sam as much pleasure as possible.

Things were slowly starting to mount up between them. Gabe could hear it in the shift of Sam's whining tone. The longer they moved and kissed and ran their hands through each others' shaggy hair, the more desperate Sam's motions became. Gabe was sure that Sammy was already getting close to an orgasm and it reminded him of his own mission. He couldn't let Sam come until he stepped out of his vessel first.

“Sam,” Gabe groaned, slowing down, “You've – you've gotta let me know when you're about to finish, okay?”

“Wh – Why?” Sam breathed, pausing his own thrusts.

“Because I've got to do some angel things first,” he replied, “Which reminds me... I should probably warn you... Things are gonna get a little bright in here... You might want to shield your eyes when it happens... And whatever you do, don't look directly at me.”

“ _What?_ ” Sam breathed, sounding a little scared.

Gabe instantly cradled the man's head in his hands, offering him some comfort.

“Shh. Don't worry,” he consoled, “I'm not gonna hurt you. This is just how it has to be done, kiddo... Are you ready?”

Although Sam looked a little worried, he nodded his head and tightened his arm around Gabriel's lower back. Gabe hated making Sam uncomfortable, but he was telling the truth. This was the only way for an angel to create a child with a human. Messing with the grace of an archangel was risky business, but they had to do it for the sake of making a baby.

After regaining their momentum and letting the pleasure build back up, Sam started to pant again, making it clear that he was getting close. Gabe raked some of the kid's long damp hair back to watch his face, seeing his nostrils flare and eyes slowly dilate. A few moans slipped from his throat, making his Adam's apple bob.

“ _Shit_... I – I'm close,” he whimpered.

Sam quickly brought his free hand up to cover his eyes, just like Gabe had instructed. And as soon as everything seemed ready, Gabriel _very carefully_ started to ease out of his vessel. Of course, some of the first things to go were the lights. They flickered on and off before the bulbs burst, making the room go dark. The loose furniture and all the windows began to rattle as the archangel opened his human casing, adding loud sound to the event. The noises made Dickie scrambled for cover under the bed. The sheer magnitude of Gabriel's grace lit up the whole house and he wasn't even using that much energy. Gabe hadn't been outside of his vessel for thousands of years and found it surprisingly difficult to keep himself under control. Geez, had his grace always been this bright? Was it always this hard to stop his true form from coming all the way out? It was like trying to hold back the Red Sea.

“ _Ow._ ”

The second Gabriel heard Sam's small yelp of discomfort, he immediately retreated back inside his vessel, stuffing his massive grace and all his wings back inside the human body in a flash. The furniture went still and the light disappeared, leaving silent darkness around them. Gabriel instantly reached up to take down Sam's hand and inspect him, searching for any injures.

“What? What is it? What happened, Sammy?” Gabe asked quickly.

“You – you're body was burning hot,” he replied, reaching down to touch his own thighs, “Seriously, it felt like you were burning me.”

Burning him? Gabe's grace had _burned_ him? In the dark, Gabriel shifted around on the bed to inspect Sam's pelvis. Thankfully, there were no marks on his skin. But the idea that he could have hurt Sam still haunted Gabriel's mind. Damn. He couldn't come out of his vessel while he was touching Sam, could he? The physical contact would burn the poor kid up in no time flat. But if they couldn't touch, then how were they suppose to have sex?!

“Hmm... Well...” Gabriel muttered, trying to think of a solution, “Uh... Let's try another position, then. One where we don't have to touch very much.”

“Okay,” Sam said lowly, sounding a little confused, “Um, how about on the side of the bed?”

“Perfect!” Gabe sang.

The archangel happily hopped off of Sam's waist and crawled over to the edge of the bed, where he laid on his back and pulled his knees up to his chest, giving Sam a clear passage. In the meantime, Sam got up and stumbled around the bed in the dark, using his hands to feel for Gabriel's outline. Once he was standing in front of the bed, Sam lined himself up and slid back inside Gabriel's tight hole. The archangel groaned erotically at the sensation of being filled back up, letting his voice echo around the empty house. Damn, he loved feeling Sam force his way inside like that. Sam leaned down to kiss Gabe as he started to thrust, licking Gabe's tongue with his own while they panted into each others' faces.

“Mmm,” Sam whimpered before standing up straight, “Gabe... I'm close again.”

“Cover those pretty eyes of yours, Sammy-boy,” Gabriel reminded.

Sam did what Gabe requested and covered his eyes with one hand. But he kept thrusting into Gabe's tight hole, bringing himself closer and closer to orgasm. While the man moved, Gabriel inched back as far as he could on the bed to get some distance from Sam before very carefully trying to come back out of his vessel again. His golden grace instantly lit up the room and the furniture began to shake, causing a nearby lamp to wiggle off a coffee table and smash on the floor. Sam flinched a little bit at the sound, but kept moving, hammering away at Gabriel's ass. As he slowly exited his vessel, Gabriel realized that he could feel Sam's dick penetrating his _grace_ , too. The kid was reaching deep down inside him and it felt _so freaking good_. Damn, this was awesome! He never wanted Sam to -

“ _Shit! Ow!_ ”

Gabriel felt Sam's body leave his own and the archangel immediately retracted his grace again. The light went out and silence returned, leaving Sam's heaving breath as the only sound in the room. Gabriel sat up on the bed and looked around to see the man standing a few feet away. He was holding his own crotch in the dark, cupping himself tenderly as if he had been hurt. Gabe's heart filled with guilt at the sight. Ah, dammit, did he hurt Sam _again_? But he was being so careful! How was he still hurting him?

“Sam? Are you okay?” Gabe asked, reaching out for him.

Sam took a few breaths and blinked down at his own body before answering.

“Y – Yeah, it's just... Your body gets _so hot_ when you do that,” he answered, “It feels like I'm putting my dick into a blazing furnace, Gabe.”

Gabriel cringed at the kid's description. Geez, that sounded painful as hell. And it killed Gabe to know that he was the one doing it to Sam. But it was the only way they could make a baby... Wasn't there some way they could do it without Sam getting hurt? Couldn't they just do it really fast before it had time to hurt him?

“I've got an idea,” Gabe suddenly announced.

“Oh, God. Not one of those,” Sam mumbled flatly.

“I'm gonna lay back down and let you have my ass again,” the archangel explained, “and right when you're on the _very edge_ of blowing your load, I'll jut in and out of my vessel really fast. It'll just be one quick flash. That's all.”

Sam hesitated by the doorway, staring down at Gabriel with apprehension in his eyes.

“I don't know, Gabe. Are you sure that's safe?” he asked, sounding skeptical.

Gabriel gulped down a hard swallow as he stared at his moose in the dark. Sam had every right to be unwilling to go through with this plan. And for the most part, Gabe agreed with him. This idea was stupid and dangerous... but it was their only shot. It had to work, or they could kiss the thought of parenthood goodbye...

“Sam,” Gabe whispered, his voice soft and somber, “If there were some other way, I would do it in a heartbeat. But if we really want a baby together, this is how it has to be done.”

For a few silent moments, Sam just stared at Gabriel in the dark, letting his eyes grow warm with understanding. The hesitation fell away from his face and he eventually wandered back over to the bed to lean down and plant a gentle kiss on Gabe's mouth.

“Alright,” he whispered back, “Let's try it.”

A huge smile burst across Gabriel's lips as he stole another kiss. Out of all the things Gabe loved about Sam, the kid's compassionate and understanding nature was probably his favorite.

The two of them touched and kissed a bit more to get ready for round three before Gabriel laid back to get into position. Again, Sammy hovered over him to line himself up and get back inside. His hot cock slid in with a slow thrust, refilling the archangel's hole to maximum capacity. A few grunts and soft moans tumbled out of Gabe's mouth as Sam started to hammer into him for the third time. Damn, he loved feeling Sam glide in and out of him like that. It made him want to reach down and tug on his own dick, but he didn't. Gabe wanted to stay focused on Sam and not get distracted by his own pleasure.

“Ah... Mm... I'm almost there,” Sammy panted, reaching up to cover his eyes.

Gabriel took a deep breath and quickly gave himself a mental pep talk. Okay. This was it. Third time's the charm. This was either going to work out perfectly or turn into a horrible disaster. Gabe couldn't mess this up. He had to be quick and thorough; to let out just enough grace to absorb Sam's semen and keep it dim so that the kid wouldn't get hurt. And he had to do it fast. One quick flash. One tiny jolt and it would be over.

“How close are you, moose?” Gabe groaned, “Can – Can you give me a countdown or something?”

“A countdown? _Seriously_?” Sam breathed from behind his own hand, sounding exasperated.

“What? I'm just trying to get the timing right,” Gabriel explained.

“Alright, alright, fine,” Sam slurred, hardly able to speak from breathing so hard, “F – five...”

Gabriel instantly geared up, bracing his knees tight against his own chest and taking a serious breath. ' _One quick flash_ ,' he reminded himself, ' _Not too big. Not too spectacular. Just one tiny, quick flash_...'

“Four,” Sam continued, his face contorting with pleasure as he thrust with all his might, “... Three... Th – Three and a half... _Two_... _One!_ ”

As soon as he heard the last number, Gabriel popped out of his vessel – and the sudden 'flash' of his grace resembled a celestial explosion. It was like the archangel had set off a grenade in the house. Golden light burst out of him like an activated bomb, causing ripples of energy to cut through the air. The force was enough to shatter every single window and topple a few bookcases... and send Sam flying backward against the wall.

Gabriel retracted his grace as fast as he let it out, but the damage was already done. The old house was a total wreck; dressers knocked over, doors blown off the hinges, broken glass everywhere. And poor Sammy was crumbled up into a heap on the floor. As soon as he saw him, Gabriel instantly jumped off the bed and dove toward Sam, reaching out with both hands to help him.

“Sammy! Shit, are you okay?!” the archangel asked.

Thankfully, Sam seemed to be mostly alright. His eyes were open and he was breathing, but he was also reaching around to brace a hand against his lower back. Dickie wandered out from under the bed to sniff around with concern while Sam struggled to sit up on the floor.

“Damn,” he huffed, turning to give Gabriel a small glare in the dark, “Geez, Gabe, what the hell was that?!”

“I'm sorry,” Gabriel squeaked, “I was just – I didn't know it would – I – I'm so _sorry_.”

The archangel immediately reached out and touched Sam's chest, using some grace to heal any and all of his injuries. Sam's hand dropped away from his back afterward, but the confused and angered look on his face seemed to stay. He obviously didn't like being tossed through the air like a rag doll and having to put up with the destructive power of Gabriel's grace. And Gabe couldn't blame him for being upset.

“I'm sorry, Sam,” Gabe repeated again, feeling his heart swell with pain, “I honestly didn't mean to hurt you.”

Even though he was healed, Sam was still looking over himself, inspecting his own naked body as if he thought the damage was going to have lasting effects. And watching Sam look for wounds made Gabriel feel like total shit. Having a baby was one of the biggest items on his bucket list – but was it worth putting Sam in danger for? Was making a baby really worth Sam getting hurt in the process?

Gabriel slumped over on the floor to brace his bare shoulder against the wall, feeling pain throb in his chest. Dickie must have noticed the look of defeat on his face because the dog came over to dig his wet nose under Gabe's hand, forcing the archangel's palm to rest on his furry head. Even though Dickie was trying to be helpful, his cute little face only tugged at Gabriel's heart even more.

“Maybe you were right, Sam,” he mumbled, as he blinked slowly down at his dog, “Maybe we were never meant to have kids...”

* * *

Sam looked up at Gabe's outline in the dark, seeing that his shaggy golden head was hanging low with disappointment. The guy looked outright depressed all of the sudden, staring down at Dickie like he had just lost his shot at winning a gold metal or something. Never meant to have kids? How could Gabe say that? Was he throwing in the towel already?

“Don't say that,” Sam whispered.

Gabe didn't even raise his head. He just stared down at Dickie with a forlorn expression, seeming defeated. Sam reached over to touch the archangel's bare thigh to offer him some comfort. They couldn't let this grace thing hold them back. Gabriel was an archangel, armed with a full range of heaven's creating power. Wasn't there some way he could just magically create a baby? Or at least give himself the equipment to have one?

“This might sound weird,” Sam began quietly, “but can you make yourself a uterus?”

Gabriel let out a sad chuckle at Sam's suggestion, but finally raised his head to meet eyes with him.

“Yeah, I could make one,” he agreed with a nod, “Hell, I could jump out of this body, go find a female to inhabit, and make a baby with you using her uterus – but it wouldn't be _mine_. Sammy, I'm an archangel. If you want to make a child with me – the _real_ me – then we have to do it with my grace. Otherwise, you'd just be making one with my vessel.”

Sam took a few seconds to absorb this information, caressing Gabe's warm leg in the meantime. His thoughts bounced around from grace, to sex, to babies... and somehow ended up at Dean and Cas. They were able to make Jude with no trouble at all. Why couldn't Sam and Gabe just do the same thing?

“Dean and Cas did it,” Sam reminded softly, “that means we can, too.”

“Not necessarily,” Gabe sighed, “Cas is just a seraph. His grace like a flashlight compared to mine, Sammy-boy. I'm one of the oldest archangels in existence. What you just saw was a teenie-tiny piece of my true form.”

Sam's jaw nearly hit the floor. That explosion – that literal _bomb_ of light – was just a teenie-tiny piece of Gabe's grace?! Damn, that stuff was lethal! Sam swallowed down a huge gulp and went back to the drawing board in his mind, hoping to find a solution to this problem. There had to be a way for them to conceive a baby that didn't involve Sam putting his own dick in danger. Sam assumed that the reason Gabriel needed to come out of his vessel was because he was trying to catch Sam's semen at the moment of ejaculation to let it fuse with his grace. If that was the case, why couldn't Gabe just let it fuse _afterward_? Sperm cells were pretty resilient and tended to live a while after being ejaculated. Couldn't Sam just come _and then_ let Gabriel's grace take it?

“Here's a thought,” Sam whispered in the dark, “Why don't I plant the seed and then you fertilize it afterward?”

Gabe's honey eyes narrowed a bit like he was confused.

“You mean, let my grace soak up your jizz _after_ you put it in me?” he replied.

Sam rolled his eyes a bit at Gabriel's blunt and vulgar phrasing, but nodded.

“Yeah. We'll just do it like we normally do, then I'll run outside and take cover while you do your angel thing,” Sam explained.

Gabriel's whole face seemed to light up. His honey eyes grew wide and his lips curved into a smile as he lifted his bare shoulder from the wall.

“It's worth a shot,” he grinned, “You're an absolute genius, kid.”

The archangel reached up to tug the man down into a fierce kiss, smashing their lips together in a hard collision before scurrying to his feet and pulling on Sam's arm. There was a new smile on Sam's face as well when the two of them rushed back over to the bed. He was glad to see that Gabriel's excitement had returned at full power. The short archangel practically dove back onto the bed, bouncing with the mattress as he crawled close to the headboard. He stayed up on all fours and rocked his ass toward Sam, putting the sight of his pink hole and dangling scrotum into the man's view.

“Come and get it, Sammy-boy,” he beckoned in a playful tone.

Sam gulped with arousal and reached down to tug on his own dick a little bit as he edged onto the bed behind Gabriel. The heat from Gabe's grace had kind of burned his sensitive organ a few moments ago and he was trying – very delicately – to coax it back into another erection. It wasn't very difficult to do because Gabriel's tight hole was directly in front of him, almost demanding to be filled up. Sam only had to work on it for a few seconds before it was hard enough to go back in. With a glob of fresh spit, Sammy lubed his sensitive cock up and carefully guided it back into Gabe's warm body.

“Ah,” Gabe squeaked, clinging to the wooden board over his head, “I love your dick, Sam.”

Sam held down a noise of his own as he slowly started to rock in and out. He loved hearing Gabe say things like that during sex. It made him feel proud and dirty at the same time. Sam carefully pushed down on the middle of Gabriel's spine, making him lay flat on his stomach so that Sam could carefully lay on top of his damp back. Sam kept thrusting his hips, driving his cock into Gabriel over and over while he stamped wet kisses all along the archangel's bare shoulders. This wasn't going to take Sam very long. Hell, he had been trying to have an orgasm for at least half and hour now. He was more than ready to cross that line and finally achieve release.

“Mmm, Gabe,” he sighed erotically, huffing hard breaths near Gabriel's neck, “I love you.”

A soft whimper escaped Gabriel's mouth while the bed rocked with Sam's motions. The archangel's tiny hands crawled their way over to burrow into Sam's, crisscrossing their fingers to hold on tight. Sam gripped both of Gabe's hands and pinned them to the mattress as his he moved, clinging to them with desperation.

“I love you... Sam... Ah! _Harder_ ,” Gabriel replied.

Sam instantly picked up speed, hammering into Gabe's tight ass as forcefully as he could. Shit, he was getting so close now. The end was in sight. Sam was panting again, causing Gabriel's blonde hair to swish around in front of his open mouth. God, Gabriel's body was so warm and wet and his muscles were clinging so tightly to Sam's cock. Their joined hands were quivering, shaking against the bed with force and anticipation. Oh, man, it was right there! Sam was going finally going to _come!_

“ _Gnah_!” Sam cried out, hearing his own voice echo through the empty house, “ _G – Gabriel_! Shit! _Yes_!”

The man was so overwhelmed with pleasure that he was barely aware of his own actions. His thrusts turned erratic and moans fell out of his mouth at a steady pace while he squeezed Gabriel's hands tight. He could feel himself spurting inside the archangel's body, filling him up with hot semen. When Sam finally began to descend from his potent climax, he forced himself to slow down to a complete stop. He wanted to make sure that most of the white fluid stayed inside Gabriel's body for when the angel came out of his vessel.

Sam took a brief moment to catch his breath. He carefully rested on top of Gabriel's small frame and pecked a few more kisses to his wet face and lightly freckled shoulders. After his heart rate calmed down a little, Sam brought his lips to the rim of Gabriel's ear.

“I'm gonna go outside now,” he whispered, “Good luck, Gabe.”

The man gave the archangel one more serious kiss before carefully raising up. He made sure to slide his dick out of Gabriel's body very slowly, wanting to leave most of the fluid inside. Once their bodies were parted, Sam went to lift his hands away from Gabe's – but the archangel didn't let go. He held on for a minute longer, making Sam look back down at his eyes in the dark.

“Take Dickie with you and hide behind the silo, Sam. Pray to me when you get there,” he said, sounding firm, “I'm gonna try coming out half way.”

Sam gulped with nervousness but gave a nod. He squeezed Gabe's hand with reassurance before letting go and climbing off the bed. Dickie was across the room near their discarded clothes – trying to hump one of Sam's large boots – when Sam dashed over and scooped him up. Once he had the dog, Sammy headed for the front door in nothing but his skin.

Sam was thankful that it was dark as hell outside, because he was sure that this would have been a hilarious sight for a passer-by. A bare-naked man running through an old cornfield with a dog in his arms? Yeah, that would have been on the front page of the local newspaper for sure. But the darkness, however, did make it kind of hard to see and Sam ended up stumbling over a few old pieces of farm equipment and stubbing his toe on a gardening rake on his way to the broken silo. Once he was on the other side of the building, Sam crouched near the ground and turned Dickie around in his arms. He curled the dog close to his chest and braced himself, knowing that Gabriel's grace was going to sound like a huge bomb. Dickie only whimpered a little, unsure of what was going on.

“Okay, Gabe,” Sam prayed, closing his eyes and ducking his head, “I'm ready.”

About three seconds ticked by before an explosion of golden light lit up the whole area. It blasted from the old house like another bomb, causing waves of energy to cut through the air. Sam tightened his grip around Dickie's furry body, feeling the inertia of the blast ripple across the field. A high-pitched sound accompanied the explosion too, making Sam bury head even further into his folded arms to avoid hurting his ears. Shit, Gabriel's grace was _so intense_! It was like being next to a supernova in outer space! And this was only _half_ of its full potential!

The blast itself didn't last very long. The light, sound, and energy faded away about twenty seconds later, leaving the wind to die down and the area to become dark again. Sam lifted his head and loosened his arms a bit to look up. Dickie popped his head up to look around too, sniffing the air and giving Sam a head tilt. Figuring that Gabriel had gone back inside his vessel, Sam carefully rose to his feet and peeked around the silo to see the house.

Gabriel's grace had damaged the place pretty badly. The roof of the old house had been completely blown off and tossed on the ground nearby and a few of the walls had been totally destroyed, leaving only a couple of support beams. The wooden walls were singed and burned and some loose pieces were still falling. It looked like the aftermath of a genuine explosion and the horrific sight made Sam worry about Gabriel.

“Gabe?” he called, cradling Dickie a little closer, “I'm coming in.”

Sam tiptoed around the debris with his bare feet as he dashed toward the house. He walked through the massive hole in the wall where the front door used to be and made his way back inside. The house was even darker on the inside because most of it was charred from the intensity of Gabe's grace. Gabriel himself was laying on the burned and broken bed. Only now, he was laying on his back. The archangel's body was the only thing that had any color. Everything else was scorched.

Sam bent down to place Dickie back on the floor as he studied Gabriel in front of him. Gabe was staring down at his own abdomen with a quizzical look, resting both of his hands on top of his own stomach and blinking down at it like he was trying to feel something. Sam gulped a little bit as he stepped closer to the bed to look at Gabe's stomach, too. Did it work? Were they finally able to make a baby? Were they going to be _parents_?

“Did it work?” Sam breathed.

Gabriel's eyes never left his stomach. He kept staring at it and touching it like he was waiting.

“I don't know,” he eventually mumbled, “I can't tell.”

They were both quiet for a minute after that. In the meantime, Dickie walked over and hopped up on the bed to sit beside Gabriel. The little dog's tail was wagging a bit and his head was tilted down toward Gabe's bare stomach too, like he was just as eager to find out if they had made a baby. After a few moments of silence, Gabe's mouth turned down in the corners and a brief flicker of impatience crossed his expression.

“Maybe it didn't work,” he whispered, “What if it didn't work, Sam?”

“Then we'll try again,” Sam replied instantly, already rounding the bed, “and we'll keep trying until -”

“ _Wait._ ”

Gabe's hand shot up and Sam stopped abruptly in his tracks. A look of pure shock radiated from Gabriel's expression as he braced his hand against his own bare stomach. Sam's eyes flickered between Gabe's face and abdomen and he could feel anxiousness and excitement starting to pulse through his veins.

“What? What is it?” Sam asked.

For another moment, Gabriel was silent. His big golden eyes just blinked slowly down at his stomach – and started to fill with moisture. His cheeks turned pale and a smile of astonishment grew across his tender lips. He slowly raised his head to look up at Sam as a tiny tear escaped the corner of his eye.

“I can _feel_ it ,” he breathed, giving a hollow chuckle.

Sam's heart suddenly swelled up like a balloon in his chest. Gabe could feel it? What did that mean? Did it mean he could feel _a baby_? Were they going to have _a baby_?!

“It – it worked?” Sam wheezed.

Gabriel's grin widened and he nodded slowly, causing another tear of happiness to slip down his cheek. Sam was at a loss for words. He had a good feeling that it was going to work; that his plan would end with Gabriel being pregnant. But nothing could have prepared him for the epically powerful wave of emotion that crashed over him after hearing the news. Sam swayed around on his feet for a second, bringing both hands up to cover his mouth. Holy shit, they did it. They were going to be parents.

“Oh – Oh my _God_ ,” Sammy grinned, his sight growing blurry with tears, “We're... We're gonna have a _baby_.”

Gabriel nodded and chuckled again, using both hands to hold his flat stomach. Sam felt a hot tear roll down the side of his own face as he shuffled over to fall onto the broken bed next to his archangel. He instantly reached down and touched Gabe's warm stomach before leaning down to peck him with a kiss. Gabriel's face was all wet from tears and sweat and some of his hair was sticking to his forehead, but he was beaming brighter than the sun. Dickie – who seemed curious as to why his owners were crying and laughing at the same time – nudged his way between their embrace, wanting to be included in the celebration. Gabe reached over and picked his dog up to give him a fierce hug.

“You hear that, Dickster? There's a new baby moose on the way!” Gabriel sang.

The dog only barked and licked Gabe's cheek, seeming glad that Gabe was happy. Sam watched the interaction, feeling like a million bucks. He had always hoped for a moment like this; a moment where he and Gabe were absolutely and perfectly happy. And now that it was here, the only thing Sam could do was smile. His heart was overflowing with joy.

Sam's eyes eventually dropped down to Gabriel's bare stomach, where both of their hands were resting. He leaned over in the dark to press a soft kiss near Gabe's belly button, knowing that his child was going to be taking shape there soon. Gabe's hand reached up and combed gently through the back of Sam's hair.

“Me and you, kiddo. We're gonna be parents,” Gabe hummed.

Sam raised his head to give his archangel a proud smile.

“I know,” he replied, “I can't wait.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Phew. Making a baby with an archangel is tricky stuff, huh? ;) I hope that this chapter was pretty hot and enjoyable despite the awkward grace interference. According to Castiel, “Archangels are fierce. They're absolute. They are heaven's most terrifying weapon.” So, naturally, making a baby with one is going to be difficult. Right? ;) But, hooray for the new baby moose! :D I hope you are enjoying it so far! :)


	4. Chapter 4

About a week after Jude was born, Gabriel sat down and had a little chat with Cas about what it was like being pregnant. Cassie described the experience as ' _unlike anything that words could ever explain_ ;' which was both vague and frustrating, because Gabe really wanted to know what it would be like to grow another person inside his own body... But now that he was pregnant, Gabe finally understood why Cas couldn't explain it.

Even though it had only been a few hours since Gabe and Sam had done the magic dance and finally conceived, their baby was already starting to take shape in Gabriel's grace. The archangel knew this because he could _feel_ it happening. What started out as one little cell had now split into hundreds of thousands, grouping up slowly to form a tiny skeletal structure and organs. Of course, the tiny fetus didn't look anywhere near human, yet. In fact, Gabe was pretty sure that their baby looked like a microscopic alien-tadpole-seahorse-thing right about now. But it was still growing really fast. And Gabe could feel every bit of it.

Gabriel tried to keep his hands away from his own stomach as he followed Sam up to Dean and Cas's motel room door, but he just couldn't stop touching it. His belly was still flat, but his grace was already starting to shine through, making his skin faintly glow with golden light. There was a little baby moose growing in there! And he could feel it forming! This was the coolest thing ever! Sam paused at the door to turn around and straighten up Gabriel's clothes, smoothing out his jacket collar and raking a hand through his hair.

“If you keep holding your stomach like that, Dean and Cas gonna figure it out before we tell them,” Sam mentioned quietly, wearing a smile.

“I know,” Gabe said, forcing himself to drop his hands and look up at Sam, “It's just so awesome. kiddo. I wish you could feel this. Our baby moose already has a brain and everything. _A brain_ , Sam! It's gonna be a little Einstein, just like you!”

Gabe grinned, watching a bright blush of pride appear on Sam's dimpled cheeks. The man only shook his head at the archangel's comment before reaching for the door behind them.

“Well, this is it. Are you ready?” Sam asked, arching an eyebrow.

“Pshh. I was born ready, Samsquatch,” Gabe winked, racing up to the door, “Let's tell 'em.”

Sam and Gabe stayed close together as they gave a brief knock and entered the room where their brothers were staying. It was about ten o'clock in the morning, usually about the time that Jude would be in his highchair eating breakfast with his parents. But Dean and Cas seemed to be a bit behind their regular schedule today. Jude was crying pretty loudly, making that heart-breaking, high-pitched noise bounce off the walls. Cas was standing near the table with the baby in his arms, gently bouncing the fussy infant up and down to try and sooth him. Dean was sitting up in bed with his head in his hands, seeming tired as hell. They obviously had another rough night.

When Sam and Gabe walked in, Dean and Cas both raised their heads to look toward them. Gabriel remembered to keep his hands away from his own stomach as he strode into the room, not wanting to give the secret away. Luckily, everyone's focus remained on the wailing baby, whose crying grew louder and louder.

“Uh, what's wrong with him?” Sam asked over the sound of Jude's whining.

“He's been doing this for hours,” Dean grumbled from the bed, “We don't know what his problem is.”

Gabe stepped a little closer to Cas to peer down at Jude in his arms. The baby was wiggling around angrily, flailing his little arms and legs while he cried out in gasps. Wow, he was _not_ happy.

“Does he need a diaper change?” Gabe asked, glancing up at Cas.

“No. He is completely clean. He has also been fed and coddled,” Cas replied, giving Gabriel a hard stare, “I am beginning to think that his distress is coming from some other source.”

As soon as he heard the suggestive tone in Cas's voice, Gabe knew exactly what he was saying. The 'other source' Cas was taking about probably had something to do with his angelic side. Jude was part angel, which meant that he had his own small dose of grace. But he was also part human – and just a baby – which meant he didn't know what to do with it yet. And that tiny bit of undeveloped grace was probably making the poor little guy uncomfortable or something.

“Huh,” Gabriel mumbled, “Maybe he just needs a – ”

Jude let out a sudden loud screech and gave a violent stretch in Cas's arms – and the TV across the room turned on. Everybody flashed a glance toward the television, seeing the cast of Sesame Street pop up on the screen. Big bird was in the middle of talking to Bert and Ernie about sharing toys and started to sing a song about friends. As soon as the tune started up, Jude's crying stopped abruptly. The baby blinked some stray tears out of his eyes before raising his head to look at the screen, seeming glad to hear the characters.

For a second, all the adults in the room were silent with shock. Even Gabe was pretty astonished. Holy shit, Jude just turned on the TV! _By himself!_ The baby used his infantile grace to start up his favorite TV show! Was that why he was so fussy? Was he just wanting to watch Sesame Street?

“Did – did he just – ?”

“Yes,” Cas answered Dean's stuttering question, looking down at the baby in his arms, “Jude just used his grace.”

“He can actually do things like that?!” Sam breathed.

“Of course he can, moosie. He's part angel,” Gabe replied, stepping up to ruffle his nephew's fine hair, “Anything's possible when you've got the grace to back it up. Ain't that right, my lil' sidekick?”

Jude was too preoccupied with Bert and Ernie to notice Gabriel's cooing voice. The baby was fully enveloped in the show, eyes glued to the screen and mouth hanging open. Cas wandered over to sit on the end of the bed near the TV to let Jude watch it. It seemed like the little guy was completely content now. All he wanted was the comfort of some fuzzy puppets and merry show tunes.

“Geez,” Dean said, leaning over Cas's shoulder to give his son a weird look, “What else can he do? Order pizza? Call Dora the Explorer?”

“I don't think he realized what he was doing. Jude simply emitted a small electric charge with his grace. The fact that the television came on was a mere coincidence,” Cas theorized.

“Are you sure? 'Cause Bert and Ernie are his favorite,” Dean reminded.

“N – No, I'm not sure,” Cas stuttered, looking a little worried.

For a few moments after that, everybody just stared at the baby to watch him blink and smile toward the TV. Gabriel was kind of amused by the whole thing. Jude was already as cute as a button. Adding in the fact that he performed magic tricks by mistake just made him even cuter... and made Gabe remember his _own_ secret bundle of joy.

Gabe reached over and tugged on Sam's large hand, gaining his attention. When the kid's large eyes were on him, Gabriel casually touched his own stomach, silently reminding him of why they were in Dean and Cas's room in the first place. A smile and a pink tint returned to Sammy's face when he glanced down at Gabe's belly.

“Right,” he whispered, before clearing his throat and turning toward their brothers, “Uh, guys?”

Dean and Cas, though they were still curious about their own baby and his angelic abilities, eventually turned to look up at Sam and Gabe. Once everyone was staring at each other, Sammy snaked his arm around Gabriel's shoulder and pulled him close, doing the classic ' _aren't we such a cute couple_ ' pose. Gabe could feel his own heart beating really fast with nervousness and excitement. He couldn't wait to tell them! Oh man, they were going to be so surprised!

“Um, Gabe and I have been talking for the past few days,” Sam began, sounding just as nervous, “and we both decided that now would be a good time to start taking bigger steps in our lives. So last night, after a lot of trial and error, we finally got together and -”

“ _We're pregnant!_ ” Gabriel blurted, unable to hold back anymore.

* * *

Sam swallowed the rest of his statement with a giddy smile. He was actually glad that Gabriel had jumped in and finished the sentence for him, because he wasn't quite sure of how to phrase it anyway. For a few seconds after Gabe had blurted the news, Dean and Cas just blinked at them in shock, mouths open and eyebrows curved. Sam knew it was gonna take some time for them to comprehend the magnitude of it and he waited patiently for the excitement to kick in, clinging to Gabe in the meantime and smiling brightly.

But even after a few moments of silence, Dean and Cas still didn't seem very excited. They both just stared blankly at their brothers wearing looks of confusion. Their bland reactions were actually starting to worry Sam. Were they okay? Was the news really that surprising? Did they not believe it? Dean eventually shifted on the bed to get a better view of Sam and Gabe before he spoke.

“You're... You're pregnant?” he repeated, his eyes narrowing.

Sam tightened his arm around Gabe's warm shoulder and gave a nod. Yep. They were definitely pregnant. But his answer didn't seem to change Dean and Cas's shocked expressions.

“How?” Cas breathed, sounding kind of frightened, “How did you make – ? That is a very dangerous – Gabriel, your grace is too – _How?_ ”

Even though Cas's question was chunky and difficult to understand, Gabe seemed to know where he was going with it.

“We just did it very carefully, Cassie. I'll admit, it took us a little while, but Sammy-boy finally figured it out how to get it done,” Gabriel answered, “Our baby is growing in my grace, now. See?”

The archangel lifted up his shirt a little bit, revealing the faint glow of his skin. His stomach was shining the same way Cas's did when he was pregnant with Jude, only Gabe's glow was brighter and more golden. Dean and Cas both glanced down at Gabe's bare stomach – and Sam didn't miss the brief flicker of rawness that swept across his brother's face.

“You guys _planned_ this?” Dean asked breathlessly, “You did this on _purpose_?”

Dean's voice was not playful or full of excitement the way Sam though it would be. No, Dean actually sounded a little angry and Sam could already feel his heart starting to sink. Why was Dean asking questions like that? Why wasn't he happy about this, like Sam and Gabe were?

“Yeah,” Sam answered truthfully, letting his hands slip away from his archangel's shoulder, “Gabe and I wanted to have a baby, Dean. So, now we are.”

After hearing the Sam's reply, Dean slowly slid off the bed and climbed to his feet. Sam watched him, noticing that Dean was trying to cling to his poker face the whole time. He was wearing a fake mask of casualness, covering up his true emotions so that he wouldn't burst into a bitch fit. Once he was up, Dean met eyes with his little brother.

“Sam, can I talk to you in the bathroom for a minute?” he asked lightly.

Even though he asked politely, Dean grabbed Sam by the arm and started pulling him without his consent, dragging him toward the bathroom at a quick pace. Sam flashed a quick glance back at Gabriel, seeing the concern in his amber eyes before he was tugged completely into the next room. Dean yanked Sam into the bathroom and flipped the light on before shutting the door, separating them from everyone else.

Dean faced the door for a few extra seconds and just breathed, making his broad shoulders rise and fall. Oh God, Sam could feel a long-winded rant coming from a mile away. Dean was going to start yelling, wasn't he? He was going to spit fire at Sam for wanting to have a child with Gabriel. Ugh, why was Dean acting this way?! Why was he being such a jerk?! Sam tried to brace for his brother's fury, knowing that Dean was probably going to shout at him for making bad choices or not being ready to have a kid or some other bullshit like that. And Sam was ready to bite back at his brother and defend his own reasoning; to protect his decision to have a child to matter what Dean thought about it. Sam's heart was beating hard and his fists were slowly clenching the longer he stared at Dean's back. Sam was more than ready to fight for his unborn baby.

But to Sam's great surprise, the sound of a tiny sniffle came from Dean's side of the room.

The older brother was still turned away from the younger and he was hiding his face, but Sam could see Dean's shoulders quivering. The guy was bracing one hand on the door and touching his face with the other, silently weeping in the opposite direction. Sam unclenched his hands immediately as he blinked toward the back of Dean's head. Was Dean really tearing up? Was he seriously _crying_?

“Dean?” Sam asked, feeling worried.

With a giant sniffle, Dean finally turned around. His green eyes were filled with tears and a few wet streaks were already running down his face. He quickly dabbed his own eyes before taking a few giant steps closer to Sam.

“ _I'm really happy for you, Sammy,_ ” he huffed.

Before Sam knew it, he was wrapped inside a tight hug, surrounded by both of his brother's arms. The powerful embrace both startled and comforted Sam. He had been so focused on bracing for the worst, that he didn't even stop to consider the best. Dean wasn't angry. He was _happy_ that Sam was going to have a baby. He just didn't want Cas or Gabe to see him get emotional over it...

With a huge gulp, Sammy smiled and hugged his brother back, giving him a few reassuring pats for good measure. Seeing Dean tear up actually made Sam start to tear up, too. A large blockage had formed in his throat and his heart was tingling with joy, blurring his sight with moisture. Sam hadn't been this happy to hug his brother since he was a little kid.

“Thanks, man,” Sam squeaked, trying not to sound too weepy.

Dean cleared his throat and let go to step back and wipe his own face. He sniffled a little more and glanced around, obviously trying to regain his sense of stoic manhood.

“I'm, uh... I'm proud of you, too,” he added, finally turning off the waterworks.

“Proud?” Sam repeated, “Why?”

“Well, because you thought ahead. You planned this out. You made sure you were ready before having a kid,” he explained with a smile, “Don't get me wrong, Sam. I love my son and I would be lost without him. But he popped into my life out of nowhere and I wasn't ready for him at the time. I was so scared and nervous and unprepared. But _you_ – you're ready for it. You're gonna be a great dad. And – Geez, I'm gonna be an uncle! We're gonna have _two_ babies around here, Sam! Oh my God, we're never gonna sleep again.”

Sam chuckled and wiped some fresh tears from the corner of his eye. He couldn't get over his brother's reaction. Dean was genuinely happy and proud of him for making this decision and Sam wasn't expecting it at all.

“So, do you know what the baby is yet?” Dean asked, “'Cause it didn't take Cas much time at all to figure out that Jude was a boy.”

“Um, no. Nothing yet,” Sam answered, “but I promise you'll be the first person to know when -”

There was a knock at the bathroom door. Both Winchesters spun around and quickly rubbed their own faces – trying to get rid of any lingering traces of weak emotion – before acknowledging the knocker.

“Yeah?” Dean barked, his voice back to its usual deep tone.

“I want my moose back, freckles,” Gabriel called, sounding annoyed, “Hand him over or I'm coming in there.”

Dean rolled his eyes and flashed Sam a brief smirk before reaching out to open the door. Gabriel was standing close by with both hands resting over his flat stomach. As soon as he spotted Sam, Gabe glanced between the two brothers for a second, seeming curious as to why Dean wanted to be alone for a minute.

“Keep your pants on, blondie. Everything's fine,” Dean mumbled, stepping aside.

Sam gave his older brother another pat on the shoulder before walking out of the bathroom to give his short archangel a warm hug. Gabe – although he was still giving Dean a few glances of skepticism – hugged Sam back. The two of them stood in a close embrace for a second before a gurgling sound echoed between them. Sam took a step back and peered down, wondering where the noise had come from. Gabe's golden eyes had dropped down to his stomach again where he held onto it and made a weird face.

“Ugh. I think I'm hungry,” Gabriel mumbled, “The baby is hungry, too. We're _both_ hungry, Sam. Can we go get some food?”

After hearing that his pregnant archangel was hungry, a brilliant idea popped into Sam's head. If Gabriel – the sweet-toothed, candy-loving trickster – wanted food, then Sam knew exactly where to get some...

“Dean, can we borrow the Impala?” he asked, looking back at his brother.

Dean was still wearing a smile when he stepped out of the bathroom and walked over to the motel table. He picked up the keys to his car and tossed them to Sam.

“Just be sure to gas her up,” he winked.

* * *

Gabriel stole another sideways glance at Sam, watching him smile toward the road and tap the steering wheel with his giant fingers. They had been on the road for about ten minutes now, heading toward town at a generous pace. But Gabriel had no idea where they were going because Sam refused to tell him. This sort of game was usually fun for Gabe, because Sam was such an easy guy to read and Gabe was able to guess the answer in no time flat. But today, it was harder than normal to figure out.

The archangel sighed and rested a hand against his stomach again, able to feel the warmth of his grace surrounding the little growing life inside. Their baby – well, technically it was just a fetus in the embryonic stage – really needed some nourishment in order to keep growing, which was probably why Gabriel was starving. Man, he would crawl his way through hell for a sandwich right about now. And he assumed that Sam was taking him somewhere to eat. He just didn't know where...

“Is it a restaurant?” Gabe blurted.

“No,” Sam answered, keeping his grin.

“A hotdog stand? Grocery store? Farmer's market?”

“Nope,” Sam smirked.

“A place where they sell hay?” Gabe mused.

“I'm not an actual moose, Gabe. You know that, right?” Sam smiled.

The archangel sighed and glanced down at his stomach, feeling more curious than ever. Dammit, he was usually so good at figuring this stuff out! Why wouldn't Sammy just tell him? It was driving him crazy!

“Well, where are we going then, huh? Please tell me? For our baby?” he tried to persuade, batting his thick eyelashes and putting on his best pouty face.

To Gabriel's major disappointment, Sam didn't even look in his direction. The kid only let his smile grow wider as he roped the steering wheel to the left and guided the Impala into a parking lot.

“Too late. We're already here,” he announced.

Gabriel almost hopped out of his seat to lean forward and look through the windshield. The car rolled up into a space in front of a brick building that had lots of windows. An array of colorful pastries and cupcakes lined the glass and the smell of fresh baked goodness was already leaking its way into the Impala. A neon sign was hanging on one of the double doors that read, ' _Betty's Bakery_.' Gabriel's mouth fell open in surprise. Aww! Sammy brought him to a _bakery_! The kid remembered how much Gabe loved sweets!

The archangel looked at the man beside him and saw nothing but pride smugness on his face. Sam was clearly enjoying Gabriel's reaction, drinking up the sight of his surprise like a parent watching their child open up Christmas presents.

“It's a bakery!” Gabe rejoiced, feeling his own stomach gurgle with delight.

Sam gave a chuckle and a nod as he turned off the Impala and took a step out.

“Come on. The doughnuts are probably fresh out of the fryer,” he persuaded with a wink.

Ah, Sam knew just what to say to get Gabriel going. Gabe practically leaped out of the car, yanking the door open and jumping to his feet outside. He remembered that he was carrying precious cargo and made sure to move carefully so that the growing fetus inside him wouldn't be shaken up. He rounded the hood of the car and locked arms with Sam as the two of them made their way toward the entrance of the bakery.

“It's official. You're the greatest baby-daddy in the whole wide world,” Gabe mentioned, craning his neck to give Sam a flirty smile.

Sam only chuckled and reached out to hold the door open, leading the way into the bakery with Gabriel on his arm. The archangel casually strolled into the establishment with his moose, planning to make a b-line for the cupcakes – when a sudden ache started to bubble up from his guts. The smell of sweet icing and fluffy cake hit him like a solid wall when he walked in, but it didn't make him hungry. Instead, the sugary scent made his stomach curdle with disgust. Ugh! Where did this nauseating feeling come from?! It was like his whole body was grossed out by the smell that he usually loved. His stomach cramped up and his mouth got all watery. And it felt like he was going to... going to...

“Uh-oh,” Gabe breathed.

He barely had time to let go of Sam's arm and run for the door before bile was rising up in his throat. Gabriel managed to make it to the sidewalk outside before he couldn't hold it back any more. He bent over and violently threw up, heaving with every muscle in his abdomen while he leaned against the side of the building to stay upright. Gabriel had never vomited before and had no idea that it would feel so sickening and gross. Ew, he could taste it in his mouth! Bleck! How did humans put up with this kind of gross stuff all the time?

“Gabe! Are you okay?” Sam asked, sounding a little panicked as he raced up to touch Gabriel's shoulder, “Are you sick? What's wrong? Is it the baby?”

Gabe took a second to catch his breath, spitting out remnants of bile and letting the queasy feeling slowly subside in his stomach, before raising his head. Sam was on the right track. The baby probably had something to do with his sudden case of nausea. Maybe the overwhelming smell of sweets was just too much for the little moose to handle in its fragile state of development. Gabriel braced a hand against his own stomach, trying to feel the baby's condition. The fetus still didn't have much of a human form yet, but it was growing pretty fast.

“I think... the smell was too much,” the archangel said, still feeling sick, “Ugh... the baby didn't like it.”

“The baby didn't like the smell of sweets?” Sam clarified, seeing surprised, “Wow. I didn't see that coming.”

Gabe shook his head once. Nope. He didn't see it coming, either. But he wished that he had, because puking was the _worst_. While Gabriel took deep breaths to recuperate from his sickness, his nose started to pick up a new scent. This one made him feel a lot better than the bakery did and even made his stomach tingle with hunger again. Mmm, that smelled so delicious! Where was that amazing scent coming from? Whatever it was, Gabriel wanted to eat it.

“Do you smell that?” the archangel asked, standing up to turn toward the scented breeze.

Sam glanced around with him but didn't seem to know what Gabriel was talking about.

“Smell what? The bakery?” he asked.

“Mmm. No, I think it's coming from across the street,” Gabriel hummed, taking a bigger sniff, “C'mon, kid, let's go find it.”

Desperate to locate the source of that heavenly aroma, Gabe took Sam by the hand and started off in its general direction. Sam willingly stumbled along with Gabriel's hold, even though he seemed a bit confused. Gabriel, on the other hand, knew exactly what he was doing. Whatever that smell was – whatever delicious food was lurking nearby – was what their baby wanted to eat. Gabe could feel it in his grace.

The archangel pulled the giant man across the street, halting traffic and making a few drivers angry in the process, as he followed his nose toward the entrance of another building. Gabriel didn't look at any of the signs or decorations on the outside. He just walked right into the establishment, on the hunt for food. The place was full of tables and chairs and people, making Gabe think that it was a restaurant. And the closer he got to the center of the room, the thicker the scent became. After a few minutes of searching, Gabriel finally found the source of the wonderful aroma he had been looking for.

The smell was coming from a salad bar.

The archangel stopped dead in his tracks, feeling his own mouth fall open in shock. A salad bar? _A salad bar_?! Out of all the sweet, sugary, candy-coated, yummy things in the world that his kid could want to eat, the baby just wanted some boring salad?! Some fresh lettuce, sliced carrots, diced radishes, juicy tomatoes, crunchy croutons and a dollop of ranch dressing?! _Seriously_?!

“You've got to be kidding me,” Gabriel breathed, feeling his own mouth water again.

Next to him, Sam seemed to be confused. The tall man glanced around the room for something else, unaware that Gabriel was staring at the salad bar.

“What? Is there candy in here or something?” Sam asked.

“No,” Gabe sighed, turning to look up at his moose, “The baby wants _that_.”

Gabriel pointed to the delicious-looking salad bar in front of them and Sam almost burst into laughter when he saw it. A humorous smile lit up his pretty face as he glanced back and forth between his candy-loving archangel and the healthy food before them.

“Oh my God. Gabe, are you craving _salad_?” he grinned, seeming amused.

Gabriel let out an exhausted sigh, even though he was smiling. Instead of answering Sam's question with words, Gabe simply walked forward and grabbed a plate. He started loading it down with everything caught his attention; lettuce, tomatoes, mushrooms, carrots – it all looked delicious for some reason. Behind him, Sam was holding back a few giggles, acting oh-so giddy that his boyfriend was about to eat a plate full of rabbit food. Once he had a giant mound of fresh crops, Gabriel turned around to give Sam the stink-eye.

“This is all your fault, moose,” Gabe said, crunching into a bite of fresh salad, “I cannot believe this. I'm _grazing_ like a cow. I hope you're happy.”

Gabriel's words only seemed to make Sam laugh harder. The kid braced a hand on the edge of the bar and doubled over with delight, laughing until his eyes swelled up with tears. Even though eating salad was a bit weird for Gabriel, he couldn't deny that he actually liked it. The cold, crunchy lettuce tasted so good right now. The baby was very pleased with his choice of food. And hearing Sam laugh just made everything better...

“I – I can't believe it either,” Sam replied, finally standing up straight again, “I didn't think you would have cravings this early. It's only been a few hours. How far along are you?”

Gabriel took a second to chomp down another bite of salad – secretly enjoying the earthy flavor of lettuce mixing with the tang of ranch dressing – before pausing to take an internal evaluation of the baby. By human standards, Gabe would be considered roughly six weeks into the pregnancy. But, of course, Gabriel's potent grace was speeding things up pretty quickly, making the process move at a lightening fast pace. So far, the baby had a spinal cord, a small brain, a long body, and tiny sprouts where limbs would be forming. It had created its own umbilical cord and placenta, and surrounded itself with a protective casing – and every cell of the little body had its own set of chromosomes.

The archangel gulped down his food and placed his plate back on the bar so that he could reach down and hold his stomach with both hands. With his super sensitive grace, he could _feel_ what kind of chromosomes his child had. He knew every piece of genetic material that had been passed down from both his and Sam's genes. But most important of all, Gabriel knew the baby's _gender_...

“Sam,” Gabe smiled, looking up at him, “I know what it is.”

* * *

It took Sam a few moments to comprehend what Gabriel said. The look on his face was one that Sam had seen many times. It was the one he wore when he felt like teasing someone; his ' _Ha ha, I know something that you don't know_ ' face. All the humor that Sam had been feeling was gone in a flash. Gabe knew what the baby was? He knew what the gender was going to be?

“You do?” Sam breathed.

Gabe nodded, flashing his set of pearly white teeth. He was clearly thrilled about the sex of their baby. And while Sam would be perfectly happy no matter what it was, he was just as excited to find out. Were they going to have a boy? Were they going to have a girl? He needed to know!

“What is it?” he asked, reaching out to take both of Gabriel's hands.

“Are you sure you don't want to keep it a secret? I mean, it's only gonna take a week to cook in my grace,” Gabe teased, wearing that sneaky grin, “Maybe I'll just keep it to myself and let you think on it for a while -”

“ _Tell me, Gabe!_ ” Sam begged, tugging him closer.

Gabriel laughed at Sam's desperation, reaching up to wrap both arms around his neck.

“Alright. I'll give you a hint,” he cooed, curling some of Sam's hair behind his ear, “Our baby is made of sugar, spice, and everything nice...”

Sam searched Gabriel's golden eyes with excitement, feeling the blood drain from his own face.

“A... a girl?” he gasped, staring down at his archangel with moistening eyes, “A girl? Is it a _girl_ , Gabe?!”

Gabriel giggled and played with Sam's hair as he gave a generous nod. Sam felt like his stomach had bottomed out. Holy shit! They were going to have _a girl_! He and Gabriel were going to have _a daughter_! A beautiful little daughter to love and spoil!

For a few moments, Sam didn't know what to do with himself. His eyes were starting to blur with tears but tiny chuckles were falling out of his mouth. He leaned down and kissed Gabe a few times and hugged him tight, holding his warm, glowing body close with affection. Sam was so proud and happy and excited. He couldn't wait to meet his child, now. His _daughter_. He couldn't wait to hold her in his arms and _love_ her.

“I guess the reason she doesn't like sweets is because she's already sweet enough,” Gabe mused in Sam's ear, “What do you think about that, moose?”

Sam raised up and let go of Gabriel for a second. He had just remembered the promise that he had given to his brother earlier, about telling him what the gender of the baby was as soon as he found out. Sam quickly reached into his pocket and retrieved his cell phone to send Dean a text. Sam typed out ' _It's a girl,_ ' and sent it before looking back up to answer Gabriel's question.

“I think she's gonna be just like you,” he said, leaning down to rest his forehead against Gabe's, “Small, cute, sassy, and sweeter than candy.”

Gabriel beamed at the thought, making his eyes glow with pride.

“Sorry, kiddo, but after having to eat rabbit food, I beg to differ,” he said, lifting an eyebrow, “This little girl has 'Sam Winchester' written all over her.”

The two of them stood in the middle of the restaurant and laughed, clinging to one another and radiating with happiness. Although they had opposite opinions on who their child was going to take after the most, there was one thing they could both agree on. She was going to be the most precious thing on the face of the whole earth.

Sam's phone 'dinged' from his pocket and the man quickly retrieved it to look at the screen. Dean had sent him a text back about the gender. Sam quickly opened up the message to see what his brother thought about the baby being a girl. The only thing the message said was:

_We're gonna need more shotguns._

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Yay! It's a girl! :D I'm not gonna lie. I kinda wanted to make the Sabriel baby a girl because, when they grow up, she and Jude will probably be a lot like Dipper and Mable from gravity falls. (It's what I think about every time I see that show. Lol.) ;) I hope that Dean's emotional reaction to the news was still canon-ish, despite all the tears. I just thought that after experiencing the joy of being a parent for himself, Dean would be overwhelmingly happy that his little brother gets to experience it, too. :) And, as you can see, poor Gabriel is gonna be stuck eating moose food for a while. But, don't worry. He secretly likes it. ;) There will be a few new characters introduced in the next chapter, and – trust me – you guys are gonna love them! :D Thank you all so so so much for reading and commenting! :)


	5. Chapter 5

“Sammy-boy.”

Sam rolled over on the warm motel bed and raised his arms to stretch, letting his toes spread out and his neck bend awkwardly. His mouth opened up with a giant yawn too, as he struggled to wake up. He was still half asleep and barely aware of the finger poking his shoulder.

“Kid,” the voice persisted, “Sam. Oi, moosie! Wake up!”

After he heard the demanding snap of Gabriel's tone, Sam forced his eyes to blink open. The past few days' events – getting Gabriel pregnant, telling everyone about it, and finding out that it was a girl – were suddenly fresh in his mind. Oh yeah, they were going to have a baby! But if Gabe was waking Sam up, did it mean that something was wrong? Was he okay? Was the baby okay? Sammy quickly rubbed the sleep out of his eyes and sat up on the bed.

“Huh? What is it?” the man slurred, trying to get his sight to focus.

Gabriel was standing next to the bed, looking down at Sam with bright eyes. The guy was already completely dressed for the day; t-shirt, blue jeans, jacket, and shoes. And his glowing skin was illuminating all the fabric of his clothes. There was a half-eaten carrot in his hand too, and he was noisily chomping on a bite of it.

“I made a mistake,” Gabriel mused playfully, “I don't think our kid is a moose, Sam. I think she might be a rabbit instead.”

Although Sam was startled and confused, a smile still spread across his lips. A rabbit? What in the world made Gabriel think that their daughter would be an animal like that?

“A... rabbit?” Sam repeated.

Gabriel nodded before biting off another chunk of carrot. Sam watched his archangel eat the raw orange vegetable and listened to it crunch loudly with his chewing.

“All she wants are carrots,” Gabriel explained with a full mouth, “I've eaten, like, twenty of them this morning. I'm turning into Bugs Bunny, for dad's sake. Pretty soon, I'll be calling you 'Doc.'”

Sam gave an honest chuckle at his archangel's exasperation. Even though Gabriel was clearly perturbed by his new food cravings, he seemed to be taking it in stride. So far, Gabe seemed to be a pretty happy pregnant angel; no mood swings or aches or pains. Everything was going smoothly for him and Sam was privately relieved.

After another mild stretch, Sam shifted around on the bed to toss both legs over the side and pull Gabriel close. Once the archangel's glowing body was close enough, Sam tugged Gabe's shirt up to look at his stomach. His pale skin was shining of course, but it was still kind of flat. No baby bump yet. Sam leaned forward to give Gabe's stomach a kiss anyway, planting his lips on the left side near Gabe's belly button. Sam hugged him afterward, wrapping both of his long arms around Gabriel's slender torso and pressing his own cheek against the spot where their baby was growing.

“Good morning, little rabbit,” Sam whispered.

Gabriel seemed to appreciate the fact that Sam was talking directly to their baby, because he reached down to cradle the back of Sam's head, letting his tiny fingers tangle in the strands of his hair. While the two of them shared a small moment with their unborn child, Dickie hopped up on the bed. The little Jack Russell Terrier gave a small bark and nosed his way into Sam's lap. Sammy leaned back to look down to give the dog a few pats and let him join the embrace.

“Oh yeah, I forgot to tell you,” Gabriel said, reclaiming Sam's attention, “Dickster here hasn't left my side since we got back last night. He's a total guard dog now. Won't let anything get close to my stomach. I think he's already claimed the baby.”

Sam looked back down at the dog and gave him a few more pats. It was nice to know that the baby had extra security even outside of the womb. And Dickie made a fantastic guard dog – as long as there was nothing around for him to hump and get distracted by.

“Good boy,” Sam murmured to the dog.

Dickie's ears perked up and his head tilted to the side, seeming glad to hear the praise. Behind Gabriel, there was a gentle knock on the motel door. Sam quickly reached up and lowered Gabriel's shirt to cover his bare stomach before clearing his throat.

“Come in,” he called.

Sam and Gabe shifted around to look at the door where Dean poked his head inside. He was holding Jude in his arms and both of them were wide awake and dressed. Jude seemed to be in a much better mood this morning; blue eyes open and full of curiosity. Dean leaned in and glanced between Sam and Gabe for a second – probably to make sure he wasn't interrupting anything – before talking.

“Hey,” he smirked, “I've already got the car loaded up. We're ready to go whenever you are.”

“Ready to go?” Sam repeated, “Go where?”

Last time Sam checked, they weren't working on any cases or helping anyone. The Winchesters were officially off duty until after Sam and Gabriel's baby was born. At least, that's what Sam assumed. Had he been wrong? Sam glanced between Dean and Gabriel for an answer, noticing that the two of them were sharing a look of humor. It was like they were both thinking about the same inside joke, but Sam was lost. What was going on? Gabriel eventually looked back down at Sam and gave his shoulder a squeeze.

“There's still one more family member that we haven't told yet, moose,” Gabe grinned, “and I think we should go and tell him in person.”

It only took Sam a single second to realize who Gabriel was talking about. Luckily, that person was only a short drive away. And Gabe was absolutely right. They definitely needed to tell him in person. Because Sam wanted to be there to see the look on his face when he found out that Gabe was pregnant...

“I hope I've got enough grace left to stop a heart attack,” Gabriel added, “'Cause we just might give one to old man Singer today.”

* * *

It took the Winchesters and their angels almost an hour to get to Bobby's house, but no one complained. Everyone was equally excited to see the old man again and tell him the big news. When they finally pulled into Bobby's driveway and shut off the engine, Sam quickly got out of the Impala and rounded the trunk to get to Gabriel's side. He opened the door and reached in to help the archangel climb out of the car, wanting to give him as much assistance as possible. There was a smug expression on Gabriel's face when he stepped out and hooked his arm around Sam's.

“You really know how to make a pregnant angel feel loved, Sammy-boy,” Gabe cooed, batting his eyelashes.

Even though Sam could feel his face turning red, he leaned down to stamp a kiss to the side of Gabe's temple. He was just glad to help. Dickie instantly jumped out of the car to follow them, clearly not wanting to be very far from Gabe or his glowing belly. Behind them, Dean and Cas unbuckled Jude from his car seat and grabbed his diaper bag before heading up to the front door. Dean only gave a few knocks before letting himself in. Sam rolled his eyes a little at his brother's disregard for Bobby's privacy. Man, they really needed to work on not barging into each others' personal environments all the time.

“Bobby,” Dean called, leading the way inside, “You home?”

Gabriel's body was glowing pretty brightly in Bobby's dimly lit hallway, so Sam tried his best to walk in front of his archangel, not wanting his shininess to be a dead-give-away. Luckily, they all made it to the study where the light from outside was coming in from the window. Sam walked Gabe over and sat down on the couch with him, where Dickie immediately hopped up to lay in Gabriel's lap.

“Bobby,” Dean said a little louder, glancing around, “Are you here?”

There was still no reply. Sam was starting to think that Bobby might have gone out on a hunt or was working in his garage. But Gabriel, on the other hand, seemed to know that Bobby was on the premises.

“Hey, Singer! There's some naked lady laying on your desk! And she says her name is Bo Derek!” Gabriel shouted.

Dean tossed Gabe a dumb look, obviously exasperated by his method of trying to get Bobby to answer. Cas tilted his head in confusion as he gave Jude a rubber toy to chew on. Sam only rolled his eyes. Bobby was an expert hunter and full-time detective. He would never fall for something as stupid as that. But – to Sam's utter surprise – the sound of footsteps started to come up from the basement. Everyone turned to look toward the study doorway, where Bobby appeared a few minutes later. The old man walked in to give Gabriel the same dumb look that Dean had given him, only stronger and less humorous.

“Yeah. And I'm gonna win the next Miss America pageant,” Bobby spat, voice full of bitter sarcasm.

As always, Jude seemed really excited to see Bobby. As soon as the old man walked in, the baby dropped his toy and started squirming in Cas's arms, reaching out toward Bobby with both hands and smiling with all three of his little teeth. Cas could barely keep the wiggling infant in his arms.

“Bah!” Jude said in his tiny high pitched voice, “Bah!”

“I believe Jude wishes to embrace you, Bobby,” Cas explained.

Although Bobby was the toughest, rudest, crudest, most badass hunter in the existence of mankind, he was still no match for the power of Jude's utter cuteness. Sam watched with a hidden smile as the old man dusted off his hands and reached for the baby. Jude practically catapulted himself into Bobby's hands and wrapped both of his little arms around the old man's neck. Bobby patted the baby's back a few times while he held him, trying to hide a smile of his own underneath his beard. Sam glanced over at Dean and noticed that he was wearing a huge grin of his own.

“Hey, lil' fella,” Bobby said to the baby, before looking up to glance around at everybody else, “What are y'all doing here? You need help on a case or somethin'? Why didn't you just call?”

Sam's heartbeat picked up speed the moment Bobby's eyes met his own. Nervousness and excitement were swirling together in his chest like wind and fire. He could practically feel Gabriel's entire body pressing against his own, reminding him of what was growing inside it – of _who_ was growing inside it... Sam gulped and turned his head to share a brief look with his archangel. Gabriel's eyes were large and golden and he was giving a slight nod toward Bobby as if saying, ' _Go ahead, Sammy. You tell him_.' Sam took another moment to gather some strength as he reached for Gabriel's hand. The two of them turned back to look at Bobby, who was still holding Jude and waiting for an answer.

“Well, um, the reason we came here today is because we wanted to tell you that...” Sam paused to take a quick breath, feeling nervous under Bobby's intense stare, “Gabriel is pregnant.”

When he first heard the news, Bobby seemed a little confused. His aged eyes squinted under the bill of his hat as they darted back and forth between Sam and Gabriel. His look of apprehension caused Sam's hand to tighten around Gabe's. Oh, man. What if Bobby wasn't happy about it? What if it made him upset or angry? The old man spared a quick glance to Jude in his arms before eying Gabe's stomach from across the room.

“ _You're_ gonna have a kid, too?” he asked, raising an eyebrow toward the archangel next to Sam.

Instead of replying to Bobby's question, Gabriel simply lifted up his shirt a little bit, revealing the bright golden glow of his skin. Sam looked down at it too, and could already see a faint difference from this morning. In the short time it had taken to drive to Bobby's today, Gabe's stomach had already grown a little bit. It was rounded more toward the bottom and made his belly button conform to a weird shape. Witnessing the small change made Sam feel so proud. Their baby was literally getting bigger by the minute.

“It's a girl,” Gabriel added happily.

Sam tried his best to read Bobby's expression. The old man's eyes eventually released their stubborn scowl and faded back into their usual tone of somberness. He stared down at Gabe's stomach for a second before taking a few steps closer. It seemed like he was overcome with a fresh sense of acceptance, like hearing that it was a girl changed his perspective. Sam was glad that he wasn't upset, at least. But even though he was okay with it, Bobby still rolled his eyes in annoyance.

“Well. That does it,” he mumbled, glancing around at every face in the room, “You're _all_ gettin' condoms for Christmas.”

Dean and Gabriel both let out a few chuckles at Bobby's comment while Sam and Cas smiled. From his jokes alone, Sam was able to tell that Bobby was just happy as everyone else was about the new baby. Gabriel tugged on Sam's hand to gain his attention and the two of them smiled at each other again. Their little girl was already loved by everyone and she wasn't even born yet.

While all the guys sat quietly in the study, a strange sound suddenly echoed through Bobby's house. It was the chime of a doorbell; a loud, quick ' _ding-dong_ ,' that seemed to come from the backdoor. Sam – along with everyone else – turned to look toward the kitchen in bewilderment. Sammy was a little confused by the noise because he had never heard it at Bobby's house before. Hell, Sam didn't know that Bobby even had a doorbell. And judging by the look of pure confusion and suspicion on his face, Bobby didn't either. The old man leaned over to hand Jude back to Cas before carefully reaching for his waistband. Beside him, Dean also reached for his gun as he backed toward the kitchen. Whoever rang the doorbell had unknowingly put a few hunters on edge.

“Are you expecting company?” Dean asked, giving Bobby a glance.

“No,” Bobby answered, retrieving his gun, “Cas, Gabe, you stay here. Sam, Dean, come with me.”

Without a word, Sam gave Gabe's hand one more squeeze before scrambling to his feet to follow Bobby and Dean toward the backdoor. He had no idea who or what would be wanting to get inside Bobby's house. But if they were kind enough to ring the doorbell, then they couldn't be that dangerous, right? Still, Dean and Bobby held their handguns behind their backs when they approached the door, unwilling to believe that this would be a friendly encounter. Bobby took a second to listen for any voices as he carefully reached out to take hold of the doorknob. He gave the Winchester brothers a slight nod before quickly yanking the door open to look outside.

At first glance, there didn't seem to be anyone out there. Through the screen door, they could see Bobby's back porch and salvage yard where a vast sea of stacked cars loitered in the distance. It took them another moment of searching to notice a large box on Bobby's doorstep. The hunters stepped a little closer to the screen door to peer down at the box, all feeling equally and rightfully nervous about it. Who left this box here? And what was inside it? Thankfully, there was a small note stuck to the top which – Sam assumed – held some answers.

Bobby tucked his handgun back inside his waistband before opening the screen door and carefully reaching down toward the box. He plucked the note from the top and stood back up to read it. Feeling curious, Sam eased closer to read it over his shoulder with him. The fine handwriting scrawled out a message that read:

_Robert, I no longer have the patience to deal with these moronic bastards. Do with them what you will. - C_

Sam glanced over the nicely written words a few times, trying his best to make sense of it. 'These moronic bastards'? What was that a reference to? And who was 'C'? Why did they leave this box here? While questions piled up in Sam's mind, the box in front of the door wiggled. Bobby, Dean, and Sam all looked back down at the moving cardboard in shock. Apparently, whatever was inside the box was _alive_. Although he seemed a little hesitant, Bobby tossed the note aside and bent down to remove the lid.

Three furry little heads popped up out of the box, all smiling and sniffing around. The cardboard container was filled with small adorable puppies. At first glance, Sam thought that they were Jack Russell Terriers, because they were small and had the same body structure as Dickie. But their spots were all black, their eyes were all glowing red, and their teeth were extremely sharp. Despite their demonic appearance, the puppies all seemed really energetic and happy – and they were especially excited to see Bobby.

With a couple of squeaky barks, the puppies climbed up on the side of the box and their weight caused it to topple over. The three of them came rushing out like a spilled drink, swarming around Bobby's feet to jump up and down and wag their tails. Sam was speechless. Where the hell did these cute little weirdos come from? And why were they given to Bobby?

“What in the hell?” Bobby grumbled, trying to nudge the springy puppies away with his foot.

Sam noticed, while the little puppies danced around their new owner, that each one of them was wearing a collar with a name tag. Still curious, the younger Winchester knelt down to pick one up and read its name.

“Peter?” Sam said, turning to give his brother a strange look, “Who names a dog 'Peter'?”

Dean made a strange face and leaned over to look at the other puppies, reading their collars as well.

“The same guy who likes the names 'Willy' and 'Humphrey' apparently,” he mentioned, shaking his head.

Sam turned to look back at the furry puppies, feeling a rush of realization sweep over him. Oh! _Oh!_ Peter, Willy, Humphrey – these puppies belonged to _Dickie_! The 'C' on the note stood for _Crowley_! These puppies were the result of Dickie knocking up Crowley's poor hellhound, and now the king of Hell was giving them to Bobby. Sam looked back down at the puppy in his arms, seeing traces of Dickie's features in its face. Its red eyes were a bit creepy, but its wet little nose and floppy ears were adorable. Holy shit! These were Dickie's puppies! Gabriel needed to see this!

“Gabe!” Sam called, wearing a smile, “Get in here, quick!”

Instead of walking like a normal person, Gabriel flashed himself into the room. He appeared next to the fridge with a look of concern on his face, holding his glowing stomach with both hands. As soon as Gabriel popped into the kitchen, the tiny pitter-patter of Dickie's paws came running through the house. The Jack Russell Terrier jogged into the room to catch up with his owner – but stopped dead in his tracks upon seeing the litter of puppies in the floor.

The puppies seemed to notice the arrival of their father because the second he came in, they all jolted up to look at him. The one in Sam's hand wiggled out of his grasp and joined his siblings to rush over and meet their dad. The puppies surrounded Dickie and they all started sniffing each other, giving the formal doggy greeting. In the meantime, Sam kept one eye on Gabriel, watching the surprise and excitement slowly come over his face as he beamed down at the animals.

“Is that who I think it is?” he asked, flashing Sam a grin.

“Yep,” Sam nodded, “They're Dickie's hellhound pups. Crowley gave them to Bobby.”

“Balls. I don't want no demonic mutts,” Bobby groaned, his face tight with irritation.

After giving their dad a good sniff, the puppies started to migrate back to Bobby. The one named Humphrey seemed to take an especially keen interest in his boots while the other two danced around him and gave tiny barks. Clearly, these puppies had been introduced to Bobby's picture or scent before, because they obviously loved him.

“Well, they sure want you, Singer,” Gabriel hummed.

Bobby huffed a sigh of defeat as he stared down at the wiggling puppies all around him. Sam leaned back and enjoyed the view for a moment, just reveling in the sight of the old man being exasperated by three lively puppies who adored him. Bobby reached up and straightened his hat before heading off toward the study with a trail of wet noses and tiny paws following close behind.

“I need a damn drink,” he grumbled in passing.

* * *

Gabriel carefully lowered himself onto Bobby's couch and leaned back against the soft cushions. His feet were aching, but getting to sit on his ass relieved some of the pain. Once he was comfy, Gabe stared down at his vessel's shining stomach, watching the way it extended and retracted with each of his slow breaths. Some weird feeling was starting to come over him that he didn't like. It made his limbs feel heavy and his eyes feel weak. He knew for sure that the baby was hungry again, because there was a small tug in the back of his throat. But this weird feeling didn't have anything to do with hunger. This was something new. Something he had never felt before.

“Sammy,” the archangel called, “Where are you?”

The kid had gone off into a different room a few minute and Gabriel suddenly wanted the comfort of Sam's moose's big arms and silky mane of hair. Thankfully, Gabe didn't have to wait very long before the giant beanpole came back into the living room. Sam was carrying a bowl in one hand and a glass of water in the other, looking like a runway model for dishware. Gabriel eyed the kid's smirking lips and playful eyes as he drew closer, feeling like he was on the verge of falling over.

“Here,” Sam said as he sat down, holding the bowl out, “Try this. I think our little rabbit might like it.”

Before he even looked down to see what it was, the smell of juicy sweetness made Gabriel's nose tingle with delight. He eventually blinked down to see a mixture of fruit tossed together in the bowl. Blueberries, strawberries, grapes, peaches, watermelon – _Mmm_ , Sam was right. Their baby definitely liked it. Gabe's mouth was watering already.

“Oh, she does,” Gabe smiled, taking the cool bowl into his hands.

Even though Gabe still didn't quite understand what he was feeling, he forced himself to start eating the fruit. Maybe if he put some food on his stomach, this stupid feeling would go away. The archangel shoved a big scope of mixed fruit onto his spoon before lifting it into his mouth. Multiple flavors burst against his tongue, making his stomach do flip-flops. _Damn_. It was like having an orgasm in his _mouth_!

“ _Mmmm_ ,” Gabriel purred in approval, unable to stop chewing.

Next to him, Sam was watching with a proud smirk, obviously still amused by the fact that Gabriel was craving healthy food. Gabe took another bite and chewed up the soft fruits – when something solid got stuck between his teeth. The archangel reached up to pluck out the tiny wet speck out of his mouth and held it up to see it. In his state of lessened awareness, Gabriel could barely comprehend what he was looking at. He blinked at the black dot on his finger for a second, feeling his eyelids grow heavier.

“The hell is this?” he slurred, glancing up at his moose.

“A watermelon seed,” Sam answered, “Sorry, I thought I picked them all out.”

Gabriel stared down at the tiny black seed on his finger, feeling a wave of nostalgia wash over him. He could remember when his dad made the very first seed. It was the same seed that eventually grew into the tree of knowledge; the one that Adam and Eve were forbidden to eat fruit from. Gabe really liked the fact that something so huge and powerful had started out as nothing more than a tiny little speck planted into the soil. His dad always had a talent for doing things like that; making something grand and awesome out of nothing at all...

“Gabe? Are you okay?”

The archangel slowly turned to meet Sam's eyes again. Ugh, no. He was not okay. Something weird was happening to him and he didn't like it at all.

“I feel weird,” Gabriel admitted.

Concern instantly lit up Sam's face. The kid sat up and rested a hand on Gabe's back and leaned close, offering some comfort.

“What is it? Are you in pain?” he asked.

“No,” Gabe denied, “My eyelids feel heavy. And I can't think straight.”

“Well, maybe you're tired,” Sam suggested, his voice as soft as silk.

It was like a light bulb lit up in Gabriel's mind. Oh! So _this_ is what it felt like to be tired! Man, it really sucked. How was he suppose to get rid of it? By sleeping? If so, then Gabriel was screwed. Because he had never done it before. Gabe took a deep breath and handed the bowl of fruit back to Sam, still blinking up at him with weary eyes.

“I... I don't know how to fall asleep,” he slurred.

Sam slid over to put the fruit bowl and the glass of water on Bobby's desk before leaning back to wrap both arms around Gabriel's shoulders and tug him close. Gabe instantly sank into Sam's colossal embrace, tucking his nose into the grove of the man's neck and letting his arms go limp between them. He let his eyes close too, while he enjoyed the smell of Sam's woodsy scent. Man, Sammy always smelled so good. Like cracking firewood and rich apple butter...

“Just close your eyes, Gabe,” Sam said softly, his deep voice vibrating against Gabriel's chest, “Your body will do the rest for you.”

Gabe did exactly what Sammy said. His eyes were already closed and he could feel something happening to his body. All the thoughts were slowly disappearing from his mind, one by one. And his muscles were gradually relaxing, letting go of their strain. He could still feel the glow of his grace in his stomach, surrounding his baby in a cocoon of light and warmth, but his awareness was fading out. He could hear and feel Sam's strong heart beating against his ear and it sounded so good. _Thump-thump, thump-thump, thump-thump..._

_Then, somehow, Gabriel could see Sam standing right in front of him. The kid was loitering a few feet away near the window of a bakery, peering through the glass like he was looking for something. He was searching hard, waiting impatiently outside the store with nervous energy. What was he doing? Did he order a box of doughnuts or something? Why didn't he just walk inside the store?_

_After a second or two, the door opened up and a baker stepped out. The guy was in full uniform; white apron, puffy white hat, the works. And he was carrying something small in his arms. Something wiggling and wrapped in pink fabric..._

_'Our baby,' Gabriel thought to himself, 'That's our little girl.'_

_Gabe watched, feeling excited as the baker walked over to hold the baby out to Sam. The look on Sammy's face was priceless. The kid was so happy to finally see his daughter, beaming with pride and glowing with joy. He gently scooped the little bundle of pink fabric into his arms and smiled down at her. And while he stared at Sam, Gabriel felt the urge to walk over there and be with him. The archangel wanted to see their baby too, and love on her just like Sammy was._

_But then, someone else came into the picture. It was someone that Gabriel had never met in person, but knew all about. A person that he had always been afraid to even talk about because of how much she meant to Sam..._

_Jessica Moore came strolling up to the bakery where Sam was holding the baby. She was wearing a nice frilly shirt and a pair of blue jeans with her long curly hair swaying around in the wind, looking gorgeous from head to toe. And her beauty only made Gabriel feel worse. Why was she here? How did she even get here? Wasn't she dead? Wasn't she supposed to be in heaven?_

_Jessica reached out and tapped Sam on the shoulder and he turned around to give her the biggest grin ever. It was like a surprise reunion for them, full of smiles and laughter and hugs. But Gabriel was left standing off to the side alone, only able to watch from a distance. He was really glad to see Sam so happy, but it kind of made him feel terrible too. Gabriel wanted himself to be the reason that Sam was so happy; not her. Not his first love. Not the girl that had him wrapped around her finger since college._

_Sam took a second to show Jessica the baby, holding up the bundle of pink fabric. Of course, Jessica cooed over how cute she was and said something about her looking just like Sam – but then, the two of them started to walk away. Sam was still holding his and Gabriel's daughter, but he was stepping in stride with Jessica down the sidewalk, letting her clutch his arm like a gentleman. And the only thing Gabriel could do was watch. He felt stuck; unable to move or run after them. Where were they going? Why were they leaving?_

“ _Wait, Sam,” Gabe called, feeling anxious, “Come back.”_

_But it was like Sam couldn't hear him. The kid just kept on walking, leading his old girlfriend down the sidewalk with the baby in his arms. And Gabriel was left abandoned at the bakery alone. Gabe could almost feel his own heart pounding with heartache and grief. No. Why was Sam leaving? Where was he going? Didn't he remember that Gabriel was still there? Had Sam already forgotten about him? Did he not love him anymore?_

“ _Sam,” Gabriel shouted again, feeling on the verge of tears, “Sammy!”_

“Gabe.”

The bakery and sidewalk began to fade away behind Gabriel's eyelids. He could feel himself breathing hard, lungs working double time and heart beating fast. He was drenched in sweat too, and quivering on his back. Something was pulling on his shoulder, tugging him back to consciousness. It took him a few tries, but Gabriel eventually got his eyes open. He immediately rolled over and searched his dark surroundings, hoping to see something familiar. And thankfully, Sam's perfect face was the first thing that came into view.

“Gabriel,” Sam repeated, curling some of his long hair behind his ear, “Breathe, man. I think you just had a bad dream.”

The archangel stared up at Sam in surprise as he tried to catch his breath. Oh! It was a dream. No wonder Gabriel was in shock. He had never had a dream before. Still, Gabe took the time to look around again, noticing that he and Sam were both laying flat. They were in bed together in a dark room, where the only source of light was his own glowing stomach. And going by the smell of dusty books and old news paper, Gabriel assumed that they were still at Bobby's house. It was one of the old man's spare bedrooms that Sam and Gabriel used sometimes when they stayed over. But Gabe couldn't remember walking in here. The last thing he could really remember – before having his bad dream – was being on the couch in the study.

“H – how did I get here?” Gabriel asked, looking up at Sam.

“You fell asleep on the couch so I carried you to bed,” the kid answered.

A large swirl of emotion swept through Gabriel's whole body, giving him chills. His terrible dream left him feeling like Sam didn't love him, but that wasn't true at all. Sam _carried_ him to bed. The kid literally helped Gabriel fall asleep, then scooped him up into his arms and carried him to bed. Because he _loved_ him. No matter what his dream made him feel, Sam _did_ love Gabriel. Almost as much as Gabriel loved him back.

“I – I love you, Sam,” Gabe breathed, feeling tears swell in his eyes.

The archangel yanked the giant man down into a sudden kiss, reaching up to tangle both hands in his soft hair and hold him close. Sam kissed him back with just as much vigor and affection, letting his tongue swim freely in Gabriel's mouth while he hovered over him. From the feeling of Sam's kiss alone, Gabe knew that he felt the same way. Their love was strong and honest and true. And no one – dead or alive – could change that. But even with the knowledge that what he was saw just a dream, Gabriel still couldn't shake off the bad feeling it gave him.

The dream had planted a seed of envy and bitterness in his heart.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Just a heads up, Gabriel's inner conflict with Jessica is going to be a prominent point throughout the rest of the story. It's gonna get really emotional and personal, but don't worry because I'm going to treat everyone with respect in the process. :) Hooray for the new litter of puppies! :D If you're curious, here's a little bit more about their characteristics: Peter is the leader or alpha of the group; calm, stoic, and takes a lot after his mom Juliet. Willy is basically a carbon copy of Dickie; curious, loyal, and willing to hump anything. And Humphrey – who is probably my favorite – is basically a clumsy moron who loves to chew on things and is constantly stumbling over his own paws. :D And, yes, they were all given names based around the male genitalia. Because you can never have too many dick jokes. Especially in Supernatural. ;)


	6. Chapter 6

Once he had woken up from that terrible dream, Gabriel was pretty much awake for the rest of the night. Right after it happened, Sammy did his best to try to sooth Gabe; whispering little words and rubbing his body under the sheets, probably in hopes of getting him to go back to sleep. But it was no use. Gabe was _not_ going to let himself fall asleep again. Not after having that damn nightmare. Instead, the archangel closed his eyes and pretended to sleep for a while just so the man next to him would relax and go back to sleep for himself.

It only took half an hour for Sam to pass out again. Feeling restless, Gabriel eventually raised up next to the gigantic man on the bed to sit and stare down at him. The golden shine from Gabe's body was casting a nice soft glow on Sam's face, making his closed eyes, messy long hair, and open mouth look even prettier. Ugh. Sam was so devastatingly handsome. So cute that it physically hurt Gabriel to look at him sometimes. How did Gabe – the biggest screw-up in the history of all screw-ups – ever manage to snag a perfect moose like him? More importantly, what did Sam see in Gabriel that made him want to stick around? Was it the hair? The charm? The magical-angelic powers?

Or was it somehow because of _her_?

Gabriel forced down a hard gulp and looked toward the dark side of the room, feeling like a new round of morning sickness was about to make an appearance. Jessica Moore was suddenly fresh in his mind again, teasing him with those long legs and batting blue eyes. Dammit, why did she have to be so pretty? Why couldn't she have been fat, bald, and missing a few teeth, huh? Why did she have to have golden hair that could shame the sun and a smile that could topple empires? Why did she have to be so freaking _perfect_?!

The sensation of a wet nose on his bare stomach caused Gabriel to flinch out of his thoughts. Dickie was sniffing around Gabe's large belly, still curious about his master's weird change of appearance. Gabe exhaled a long exasperated breath as he reached down to pet his dog. Ah, man. Just looking at Dickie made him feel better. If it wasn't for his adorable little hump-machine, Gabe didn't know where he would be. Dickie raised his head to blink up at his owner and give a very quiet bark, like he was asking if everything was okay. And Gabe – as usual – found it easier to talk to his dog rather than anyone else. Dickie would understand his point of view on this 'Jessica' subject, wouldn't he?

“I don't _hate_ her,” Gabriel explained in a whisper, finally voicing his thoughts, “It's just... Sam belongs to _me_ now, you know?”

In response, Dickie climbed up into Gabriel's lap and rested his head on the archangel's ever-growing stomach. It seemed like he was settling in for a long conversation, ready and willing to listen to whatever Gabe had to say. But although he was very grateful to have someone that would listen to him, Gabriel didn't much feel like talking about it anymore. Thinking about Jessica only made him feel worse. So Gabriel just pet his dog and brought his eyes to rest on his own stomach instead.

Gabe could feel, deep in his grace, that the baby had already doubled in size since the day before. Her little body was about two and a half inches long now and her tiny skeletal structure was starting to form. Everything about her being was so small and fragile. She was soft and delicate, like a true lady. Gabe took a another breath as he cradled the bottom of his stomach with his free hand and held his dog close with the other.

“What about you, lil' bunny?” Gabe asked quietly, tapping the tight skin with his thumb, “What do you think?”

Of course, Gabriel didn't expect to get an actual reply. He knew that the fetus inside him didn't understand a word he was saying. But that didn't stop his daughter from responding anyway. A very faint, light flinch came from the baby's small body. It was just a single wiggle of limbs, barely enough to be recognized as movement. But he still felt it reverberate through his grace like the strum of a harp string and it made his heart melt with joy. Aww. His child could _hear_ him. And she actually _liked_ the sound of his voice.

“Hey there, baby girl. I love you already,” Gabe hummed to his stomach.

For a moment, he and Dickie just sat there and stared at his glowing vessel, both sharing a moment of silence with the unborn infant. But then, Gabe started to feel a familiar ache in the base of his throat. His and Sam's herbivore baby wanted something to eat again. And honestly, Gabe felt oddly content about being hungry. Maybe the baby was making him feel hungry on purpose. Maybe this was her way of trying to help him feel better.

“Well, food _does_ solve everything,” he grinned, glancing at his dog again, “C'mon, Dickster. Let's go raid Singer's fridge.”

Before Gabe got up, he made it a point to lean over and give Sammy a small kiss. He brushed some of the kid's shaggy hair away from his face and planted it on the edge of his open mouth, being gentle so that he wouldn't wake up. Sam kept snoozing peacefully on his back while Gabriel practically rolled out of bed, bringing the only source of light with him. Dickie was right by the archangel's side when he quietly made his way out of the room.

The hallway outside was pretty dark too, but luckily Gabriel's grace was just bright enough to light the way. The archangel walked carefully toward the kitchen on his tip toes, not wanting to wake anyone up by accident; especially his five-month-old nephew. But the closer he got to the kitchen, the more Gabe could hear that someone else was already awake. A high pitched giggling sound was coming from inside. Curious, the archangel quickly finished the trip down the hall and poked his head into the doorway to see who had stolen his late night kitchen raid idea.

Castiel was sitting on the floor near the table with Jude in his arms and a swarm of puppies all around him. The angel was cradling the baby's back, helping him sit upright in his lap while a couple of the mutant pups played together in front of them. Their erratic and crazy prancing made Jude smile and giggle out loud. Cas was wearing a small smile too, clearly taking pride in his infant son's delight.

Gabriel stood in the doorway and watched them for a second, secretly drinking in the sound of his nephew's adorable laugh. Damn, he was so cute. But why were they awake? It was like three in the morning, wasn't it? Maybe the baby woke up in the middle of the night and Cas brought him into the kitchen so that he wouldn't bother Dean. Castiel's studious blue eyes eventually caught sight of Gabriel's golden shine and he raised his head to see him properly.

“Gabriel,” the angel said quietly, “Is everything okay?”

“Uh, yeah,” Gabe replied, carefully inching his way into the room, “I couldn't sleep so I just came to get some food. Is it alright if I crash your party?”

“Of course,” Cas answered with a new smile.

Jude and the puppies were momentarily distracted by Gabe's arrival. They all stopped to look at him when he walked over to open Bobby's fridge and peer inside. Of course, there wasn't much in there apart from beer, lunch meat, and a few spell ingredients that had to be kept cold. Gabriel was hoping to find some carrots hidden away somewhere because, _man_ , he really wanted to chomp into another one of those. But he had to settle for an apple from on top of the fridge, instead.

As Gabriel retrieved the fruit, he felt something rubbing up against his leg. On the floor, one of the red-eyed puppies – Willy, going by the name on his collar – was up on his hind legs, trying his damnedest to hump Gabe's ankle. The archangel rolled his eyes at the display, but was secretly amused. It reminded him of when he first scooped Dickie out of a wiggly litter of pups and took him home...

“That one tends to be over-friendly,” Castiel mentioned from the floor.

“Gee. I wonder who he got _that_ from,” Gabe mumbled sarcastically, raising an eyebrow at his own dog.

Dickie only sniffed around the puppy, seeming unsure about it. Willy's 'over-friendly' greeting eventually ended and he raced back over to play with his brothers. In the meantime, Gabriel finished the trek to the table and sat down next to Cas on the floor. He cradled his stomach as he did so, wanting to keep his little rabbit comfortable. Dickie came over to sit in his lap again afterward and Castiel eyed his glowing belly with curiosity.

“How is your pregnancy advancing, brother?” he asked.

Jude giggled again, briefly regaining their attention and making them smile before Gabriel answered.

“Eh. Pretty well, I guess. She's about two and a half inches long and growing like a weed,” he answered, crunching on a bite of his red apple, “She's keeping me hungry, too. And exhausted. And emotional. Man, this pregnancy thing is harder than I thought it would be. I feel so damn _human_.”

“It only gets worse,” Castiel predicted kindly, “Pretty soon, you won't be able to use your grace at all. She will need it to keep growing.”

Gabe sighed and rubbed his own stomach with discomfort. He didn't mind giving up his grace for his child, but knowing that it would leave him utterly powerless made him feel anxious. Gabriel had never been without his grace before. What if something bad happened and he couldn't anything about it? What if Sam somehow got hurt and Gabe couldn't heal him? Castiel seemed to notice Gabriel's silent anxiety.

“Don't worry, Gabriel,” Cas almost whispered, reaching out to touch the archangel's shoulder, “I promise that I will be there to help you. Just like you were there for me.”

A fresh breeze of emotion swept through Gabriel's heart as he lifted his eyes to meet his little brother's stare. Castiel had always been Gabe's favorite sibling because of his good heart and strong loyalty. The archangel reached over and patted the seraph's thigh.

“Thanks, lil' bro,” he hummed, biting into another chunk of apple.

Cas gave a nod before turning his attention back to Jude. The baby was still smiling at the puppies, watching them play with each other on the floor. Peter and Willy were wrestling together, letting out tiny adorable growls while they romped around. The third puppy, Humphrey, was on the other side of the room, scooting his furry butt across the floor. Gabriel just shook his head at the three of them, feeling oddly proud. He had to give Crowley some credit. Even if the demon didn't want to have anything to do with them anymore, he had picked out some pretty great names before giving them away.

Gabe bit into his apple again and felt something solid lodge between his teeth. The archangel reached into his mouth with one finger to remove the blockage – only to find that it was another dark seed. Gabriel took out the apple seed and stared at it in his hand, feeling a strange blend of nostalgia and bitterness in his chest. Seeds. Damn seeds. Why did everything always have to have seeds?! In a fit of immature rage, Gabriel reared his hand back and threw the stupid speck across the room. It made a tiny ' _clink_ ' noise as it bounced off the oven and hit the floor. Cas, of course, noticed Gabe's bizarre reaction to a simple seed and leaned over to whisper.

“Is something troubling you, brother?” he asked softly.

Gabriel took another deep breath and looked down at the half eaten apple in his hand. Yes, something was troubling him. But he didn't think that Cas – or anyone, for that matter – would understand his perspective. He was feeling jealous of Sam's first love, a woman that wasn't even alive anymore, and there wasn't anything he could do about it. How could Cas possibly help him with _that_?

“I had a bad dream about... someone,” Gabriel admitted carefully, “and it made me feel... I don't know... made me feel like I wasn't good enough for Sam or something.”

Saying it out loud actually made tears press at the back of Gabe's eyeballs. Ugh, he _hated_ this stupid feeling of pain and heartache. Being pregnant – being _human_ – really sucked! Castiel's big blue eyes seemed to grow large with sympathy. He let go of his son in order to reach over and place a hand on Gabe's back.

“Gabriel,” he began his voice full of sincerity, “I have known Sam Winchester for a very long time. I've seen him indulge in many different relationships and form bonds with many people... But there is no one, not a single soul, that has ever made him as happy and full of life as you have. Sam adores you more than you could ever imagine, brother. I know because I witness his joy everyday. Your relationship is an honest testament of what love can do, because it has turned a broken and defeated man into a benevolent, cheerful boy again. Sam would not be the same without you.”

Gabe gulped down some leftover bits of apple, feeling the tears finally swell in his eyes. Wow. He never took the time to consider all of that before. Man, Cassie really knew how to put it into words, didn't he? Gabriel coughed a few times, trying to get the lump out of his throat as he leaned over to give his little brother a half hug. He really wished that he could explain how grateful he was that Cas had said all of that, but the only thing he managed to say was,

“Thank you, Castiel.”

Before Cas could reply to Gabriel's gratitude, Jude laughed loudly from Castiel's lap. The sound was more like a high-pitched squeal – and it made the lights in the kitchen flicker on and off again. Gabriel and Cas raised their heads and looked down at the baby in front of them, both wearing masks of shock. Jude had used his grace again without knowing it. Only this time, he channeled it into his own laughter. Even the puppies seemed to take notice of the slight atmospheric change. All three little furry heads popped up to look at the ceiling. Jude just kept giggling, making his cute little cheeks look extra squeezable.

“We have _got_ to do something about your kid's grace, Cassie,” Gabriel mumbled.

“Indeed,” Cas replied with a weary breath.

* * *

When Sam woke up for the second time, he opened his eyes immediately to search for Gabriel's face. He remembered waking up with the archangel through the night, calming him down from a bad dream, and then falling back asleep with him. So, naturally, Sam wanted to make sure Gabe was okay and had gotten the rest he needed. But as usual, it seemed that Gabriel had already gotten out of bed without him.

Sam rubbed his eyes and tossed back the blanket before climbing to his feet. He quickly slipped out of Bobby's guest room and into the hallway, on the hunt for his pregnant archangel. Morning sunlight was shining in from all the windows, giving Sam a clear path to the other rooms ahead. Sam decided to check the kitchen first, knowing that the baby had probably made Gabe hungry again.

“Gabe?” he called as he strolled into the room.

Just like Sam had predicted, the blonde archangel was already seated at the table with a plate of food in front of him. Bobby was standing near the counter getting himself a cup of coffee and Cas was sitting across from Gabe with Jude in his arms. The baby was curled snugly toward Cas's chest, sound asleep. Three dark little puppies were arranged on the floor around Bobby's feet too, watching him make coffee with their tails wagging. Everyone glanced up at Sam when he walked in – especially Gabriel, who smiled brightly and gave a subtle wave.

“There's my moose,” he grinned, “Mornin', kiddo. How'd you sleep?”

Sam was glad to see that Gabriel was back to his happy, chipper self. It seemed like whatever nightmare he had the night before didn't bother him at all. Sam walked closer to the table, eying Gabe's protruding stomach the whole time. The baby bump was definitely visible, now. It made Gabe's shirt stick out like he was trying to smuggle a cantaloupe or something.

“Good morning,” Sam replied, “Wow, you look great, Gabe.”

Sam was telling the truth. Gabriel really _did_ look great. His skin was all shiny and glowing, his honey eyes were open and bright, and his lips looked so plump and kissable. In fact, the first thing Sam did as soon as he was close enough was kiss him. The man leaned down and planted his lips square on Gabe's mouth, letting his tongue snake out to meet him. In the back of his mind, Sam knew that Cas and Bobby were watching, but he didn't care. All he cared about was greeting his archangel with affection. Sam could taste orange juice and grapefruit on Gabe's tongue as they kissed and the flavor made him smile.

“Our rabbit likes fruit, huh?” he pulled back to ask.

“Oh, you know it,” Gabe smirked, leaning back to look down at his own stomach, “Had me eating apples last night. She moved a little bit this morning, too.”

“She _moved_? Really?!” Sam almost gasped.

Gabe was smiling as he shifted Sam's hands down to cup them on both sides of his rounded stomach. Sam quickly crouched down on the floor in front of him and leaned close to listen and feel, hoping that he would get to experience their baby moving inside the womb. He could feel the warmth and softness from Gabe's skin, but that was all. Sam held still and waited patiently, staring at the faint trail of blonde hair on the archangel's stomach.

“You might have to talk to her,” Gabriel prompted, resting one of his hands over Sam's, “That's what made her move last time.”

Sam quietly cleared his throat and eased a little closer. It wasn't until he opened his mouth and took a breath that he realized he had no idea what to say. He was frozen for a second, just kneeling there clutching Gabe's belly with his mouth hanging open like an idiot. What was he supposed to say? Should he just say hello? Maybe tell her about the weather or how lovely this morning was? Should he tell her about her family members? About her Papa, her uncles, her cousin, and their dog Dickie? There were so many things to choose from. Which thing should he talk about first?

“Don't y'all have somethin' better to do than sit there and watch me drink coffee?”

Sam briefly looked away from Gabe's stomach to glance up at Bobby near the counter. The old man was staring down at the litter of puppies at his feet, glaring at them from under the bill of his hat. Despite Bobby's cold demeanor toward them, the puppies barked and wagged their tails when he spoke, acting as though he had just praised them.

“I've got shit to do today,” Bobby grumbled at the dogs, “and I ain't gonna put up with you mutts stayin' under my feet the whole time. Got me?”

Sam and Gabriel both smiled, watching the puppies prance around excitedly. The little dogs were acting like Bobby said that he was going to take them to the park or something. And Bobby was clearly exasperated by their cheerful behavior once again. The old man rolled his eyes and started to shuffle toward the backdoor with a mug of coffee in hand. Peter, Willy, and Humphrey all followed along happily, creating a string of floppy ears and wagging tails.

“Lord gimme strength,” Bobby sighed under his breath as he pushed his way outside.

All three puppies kept up with the old man's feet – except for Humphrey, who accidentally ran into the wall and had to race to catch up – leaving the kitchen in silence as they left. A few seconds after Bobby walked out the backdoor, Dean wandered into the kitchen from the study. His hair was all over the place and his eyes were foggy with drowsiness, obviously just getting out of bed. He stifled a yawn as he walked in and spared a glance at Gabriel.

“Getting pretty big there, aren't you, blondie?” Dean mumbled, eying Gabe's exposed stomach, “How far along are you this morning?”

“Eh. I think I'm near the end of the first trimester,” Gabe answered.

Sam's mouth fell open in surprise. End of the first trimester? _Already_?! Man, that was so fast! Sam's eyes fell back to Gabriel's glowing stomach and he cradled it gently, letting his thumbs draw small circles on each side. His child was taking shape directly under the palms of his hands and the notion left him in awe.

Dean walked over to give Cas and Jude good morning kisses while Sam stared blankly at Gabe's stomach. He still wanted to talk to his rabbit; to get her to move so that he could feel it. But he still didn't know what to say. He didn't want to say something stupid or make anyone else in the room uncomfortable. Feeling defeated and nervous, Sam let out a sigh and glanced up at Gabe, Cas, and Dean.

“I... I don't know what to say,” he admitted, feeling kind of guilty.

“Talk about something that you love, Sam,” Cas suggested sweetly.

“Or just do what I did with Jude and sing a song,” Dean mentioned with a shrug.

Sam almost gasped out loud. Cas and Dean's suggestions had given him the brilliant idea to combine both things together. The tall man on the floor quickly cleared his throat again and eased closer to Gabe's tummy. The archangel's amber eyes were on him, watching with hidden curiosity while he held both of Sam's hands. Sam focused his own sight on Gabriel's shiny skin and tried to picture his little baby girl listening just inside.

“ _Who can take a sunrise,_ ” Sam hummed quietly, feeling a smile on his own face, “ _Sprinkle it with dew..._ ”

Sam paused for a second to feel for movement, but couldn't sense any so he kept going.

“ _Cover it in chocolate and a miracle or two_ ,” he sang softly, “ _The candy man... Oh, the candy man can... The candy man can 'cause he mixes it with love and makes -_ ”

Sam's voice cut short and his heart skipped a beat when he felt a little nudge against his hand. Holy shit, it worked! The song worked! The baby heard him singing and responded with a tiny wiggle! Sam clutched more of Gabe's stomach as he spun around to look at his older brother.

“Sh – she moved,” he breathed, feeling his heart swell with joy, “She moved, Dean! I felt it!”

Dean and Cas gave him a few nods and smiles as if they were taking joy in watching his excitement. A happy chuckle escaped Sam's mouth as he spun back around to smack a kiss on Gabe's stomach. Man, it was so awesome to feel his baby moving around in there. She was still in the middle of development and already knew his voice. It was no wonder why Gabriel wanted to have a child so badly. Even little things like this were freaking amazing!

Sam raised his head to give Gabriel a smile – but found the archangel's face covered in wet streaks. Gabe's golden eyes were huge and glistening and he was crying silently, letting the tears run down his cheeks while he stared down at Sam in shock. There wasn't any excitement in expression, only surprise and awe. Sam's smile slowly disappeared as he blinked up at his angel in wonder.

“Gabe? What's wrong?” he asked, reaching up to cup his wet cheek.

Gabriel's throat quivered with a gulp as he searched Sam's face. There was disbelief and fondness in his eyes, like he felt genuinely honored, and Sam had no idea why. Was he surprised that Sam got their baby to move with a song? Was he just experiencing some pregnancy related hormone changes? What was going on? Gabe eventually took a breath and spoke.

“I – I love that song,” he breathed.

“Yeah, I know,” Sam nodded, wiping some of the tears from Gabe's face with his thumb.

Sam's reply only seemed to make Gabriel cry even more. He let out a tiny whimper as he blinked a few droplets out of his eyes and reached up to hold onto Sam's shoulders.

“You... You sang it for _me_?” he asked as if he couldn't believe it.

“Well, yeah,” Sam answered, feeling kind of confused, “Gabe, I love you. Of course I wanted to sing one of your favorite songs to our daugh– ”

Sam's sentence stopped short as he was suddenly yanked into a ferocious hug. Gabriel wrapped both of his arms tight around Sam's shoulders and buried his tear-stained face into Sam's neck, clinging desperately to him with feeling. Sam instantly slid his hands around Gabriel's warm back, but was at a loss for words. What was making Gabriel so emotional? How did something as small as a song trigger a sudden outburst of tears?

While he cradled the back of Gabriel's golden head to console him, Sam glanced sideways to give Dean and Cas a questioning eyebrow, hoping that one of them could give him an answer about Gabriel's emotional state. Dean only shrugged his shoulders and grinned, giving Sam a look that basically said ' _been there, done that_.' But Cas was wearing a softer smile, one with more understanding. The blue-eyed angel actually seemed glad that his brother was crying and hugging Sam. Did Cas know something that Sam didn't? Or was this all just part of an angelic pregnancy? Although he was thoroughly confused by Gabriel's tears, Sam held him close anyway, wanting to help him stop crying.

“I'm right here with you, Gabe. And I'm not going anywhere,” Sam whispered, kissing the side of Gabe's soft head.

Gabriel sniffled and sat back up in the chair, finally bringing his eyes to Sam's again.

“I know, kid,” he replied, finally smiling again, “That's my favorite part.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Poor Gabe is a bundle of emotions. I've always loved the idea of human!Gabriel getting all emotional over little things. ;) I don't know if anyone made the connection, but I got the idea for Jude's grace effecting the lights from Monster's Inc. Ya know, where the kids laugh and it messes with the power? Hehe. Thanks, childhood. ;) Also, the part where Sam sings 'The Candy Man' to the baby was an idea I got from the lovely GeekGirlForLife on FF.net (Thank you so much for that, darling!) ;) It was also partly stolen from 'Purpose,' but is it really considered stealing if you steal from yourself? (*que Inception music*) I owe poor Bobby a few beers for making him put up with those puppies, don't I? Ah, well. He secretly likes them. ;) As always, thank you all so much for reading and commenting! :)


	7. Chapter 7

Sam quickly finished chopping up some tomatoes and slid them into a bowl, along with some fresh lettuce and sliced carrots. He drizzled a little ranch dressing over the top and sprinkled on some croutons too, before grabbing a fork and heading toward Bobby's study. After the emotional morning Gabriel had, Sam hoped that an improvised salad lunch would be able to cheer the poor guy up.

Gabe was draped lazily across Bobby's sofa with both legs propped up on the coffee table. He was tugging repeatedly at his own shirt, trying desperately to make the tight cloth cover his large stomach. But the fabric just kept rolling up and exposing his baby bump anyway. Dickie was sitting up next to Gabe with his head tilted to the side, probably wondering why his owner's clothing wouldn't fit him anymore. Sam smiled at Gabriel's futile efforts to hide his own tummy. Being pregnant made him look so darn cute.

“Damn good-for-nothing polo shirts,” Gabe grumbled, “I'm starting to look like Homer Simpson.”

Sam smirked at Gabe's comment. The sad part was that Gabriel was right. He actually _did_ look a little bit like Homer Simpson, with his yellow skin and tiny shirt. But Sam withheld his laughter, not wanting Gabe to feel bad. He walked up and held out the bowl of salad to his archangel.

“Here. I made you some lunch,” Sam smiled.

A look of pleasured surprise appeared on Gabe's face as he finally let go of his shirt. The fabric instantly curled back up, revealing his stomach again. But Gabriel was too focused on the salad to care about it anymore.

“Aww. Thank you, Sammy-boy,” he grinned.

Sam nodded and watched Gabe take the first few bites before leaning over to get to his duffel bag nearby. He didn't want Gabriel to struggle with shrinking clothes, especially in the middle of the pregnancy. So to help, Sammy dug out one of his own large shirts and tossed on the couch. Gabriel glanced at it before giving Sam a questioning eyebrow.

“It's for you,” Sam explained, “My shirts are bigger than yours. It might fit you better.”

Again, Gabriel seemed both proud and honored by Sam's suggestion, as if he thought that getting to wear Sam's shirt was a privilege that not many people were offered. The archangel gulped down a bite and picked up the shirt to smell it, taking a big breath.

“Ah. Moose musk. Best smell in the world,” he indulged.

Sam shook his head a little bit as he watched Gabe quickly take his own shirt off to replace it with the new one. The orange plaid fabric draped loosely around his bare torso and hugged him gently. He had to roll both long sleeves up to be able to use his hands properly. For a second, Sam thought about telling Gabriel that he didn't need to wear a shirt at all – partly because the sight of Gabe's bare skin made him secretly happy – but then he remembered that they were at Bobby's house and it was probably considered rude to walk around half-naked in someone else's place.

“Sam.”

At the sound of his older brother's voice, Sam quickly turned around to face the kitchen. Dean was standing near the table with Jude in his arms and Cas was next to them holding the baby's diaper bag. The two adults both had on their jackets and shoes, looking ready to walk out the door, but Jude was still in his onesie. The baby played quietly with Dean's necklace as Sam strolled into the room.

“Yeah?” Sam asked.

“I just got a call from some dude on the other side of town,” Dean began, sounding a little weary, “Says he needs help dealing with a local pack of werewolves who keep poaching off his livestock. It sounds like a two man job, but I figured that you would want to stick around and help Gabriel since he's getting so big -”

“ _I'm not that big!_ ” Gabriel interrupted from the other room in an irritated tone.

“ - so I thought that Cas and I could take care of it,” Dean continued, ignoring Gabe's comment, “It's not that far away and it's not going to take very long to do.”

“But we wish to leave Jude here,” Cas added, stepping forward to gently brush the back of his infant son's head with his hand, “where he will be safe.”

“So, do you mind babysitting for a few hours, Sam?” Dean finally asked, “I promise he won't be any trouble at all. Might be good practice for you, too. You know, since you're having one of your own in a few days.”

Sam's eyes dropped down to his nephew in Dean's arms, where the little guy was still tugging at Dean's necklace with tiny hands. Sam had never been left alone with Jude before. At least, not for long lengths of time. Dean and Cas were always nearby, ready to pop in and help him if need be. Honestly, the thought of being alone with a baby actually made Sam nervous. What if he accidentally did something wrong, like give him the wrong baby food or something? But Dean was right. Sam did need the practice if his daughter was going to be arriving soon. Plus, Gabriel would be there to help him, too...

“Um, sure. I guess,” Sam eventually answered.

“Okay. Just remember to feed him lunch within the next twenty minutes,” Cas said as he slid the diaper bag onto Sam's shoulder, “I've left instructions for you on how to prepare his food in the side pocket. Also, be sure to use the baby powder on his posterior after every diaper changing to prevent rash and chafing. If he becomes dirty, there are extra clothes in the large compartment that he can wear. And if you plan to go outside for an extended period of time, please apply the infant-safe sunblock to all of his exposed skin before -”

“Cas, baby, relax,” Dean interrupted, placing a hand on the angel's shoulder, “Sam's got this all under control. Right, Sammy?”

Sam gulped, feeling even more nervous. He was glad that Dean had total faith in him, but he didn't have much faith in himself. He really hoped that he could remember everything that Cas wanted him to do. Sam forced a nod anyway, wanting to reassure them.

“Gabe and I can handle it,” he murmured quietly.

After receiving a pleasant answer, Dean smiled down at his son's face.

“Hear that, little man? You're gonna have a fun day with uncle Sammy,” he sang in a cooing voice.

Jude only blinked up at Dean with questioning blue eyes, seeming kind of confused. Cas took a deep breath of defeat as he leaned over to kiss the top of Jude's head. Dean kissed the baby's face too, before shifting him around to hold him out to Sam. Sammy quickly scooped the warm baby into his arms and held him close, not wanting to drop him. Jude looked back at his fathers and reached out for them with one hand as his bottom lip puckered up with discomfort.

“Da?” he asked.

The baby's voice seemed to instantly break Cas's heart. His blue eyes widened and his mouth turned downward as he leaned close to Dean's ear.

“Perhaps we should just bring him with us, Dean,” the angel whispered.

“Nah, he'll be fine,” Dean denied, stepping up to kiss his son one more time, “Daddy and Papa will be back soon, okay, Jude? You be good for uncle Sam. And don't let uncle Gabe fall over and roll away.”

“ _Bite me, freckles!_ ” Gabriel called from the study again.

Dean chuckled a bit at Gabriel's expense as he started off toward the backdoor. He had to pull Cas along because the angel seemed reluctant to leave their baby behind. Jude clung to Sam's shirt and watched them go with his head tilted, looking frighteningly similar to his angelic father.

“We'll be back soon, Sam,” Dean called over his shoulder with a wave.

“Please pray to me if you need anything,” Cas added, pausing to turn around, “I will fly back immediately. Oh, and if Jude wants to take a nap, his stuffed bee is located in the study on the -”

Sam didn't get to hear the rest of Cas's sentence because Dean yanked the angel the rest of the way out the door. He could hear Dean's voice mumbling something along the lines of, ' _Chill, Cas. They know where his bee is,_ ' as they left. Once the door closed behind them, Sam could feel the full weight of his current responsibility resting on his shoulders. Jude suddenly felt heavy in his arms. Oh, boy. What if something went wrong? What if Sam forgot something that Cas told him to do? What if he messed it up somehow? What if -

“Mam.”

Sam looked down at the baby in his arms, meeting his blue-eyed stare. Even though both of his parents had just left, Jude didn't appear very sad. On the contrary, there was a faint smile on his little mouth. Sam took a breath and grinned down at his nephew, eying Dean and Cas's features hidden in his face. Maybe Sam was worrying too much. Maybe babysitting wouldn't be very hard at all.

“Want to go check on uncle Gabe?” Sam offered.

Jude's only reply was his constant smile. Taking it as a good sign, Sam turned around and headed into the study with the baby in his arms. Gabe, of course, was still sitting on the couch, eating his bowl of salad. Dickie's tail started to wag as Sam approached with the baby in his arms, like he was excited and happy. Gabriel, however, seemed a little bummed.

“Be honest with me, kiddo... Am I really that fat?” he mumbled, looking down at his own round belly.

Sam rolled his eyes. How could Gabriel ever think that he was fat? Didn't he know that Dean was just teasing him for fun?

“No, Gabe. You're not fat. You're _pregnant_. There's a difference,” Sam explained, “Besides, it doesn't matter anyway. Because I would still love you the same even if you were.”

A familiar twinkle of playfulness sparkled in Gabe's golden eyes. He was wearing his signature trickster smirk as he took another bite of salad.

“Even if I had hairy man boobs?” he asked.

Sam let out a chuckle. The image of Gabriel being fat and hairy, complete with a furry chest and multiple fat rolls, had popped into his head. And it was both ridiculous _and_ hilarious.

“ _Especially_ if you had hairy man boobs,” Sam replied with a grin, “Hey, can you hold Jude for a second while I get his highchair set up?”

Instead of answering with words, Gabe simply sat his salad bowl to the side and held both arms out. Sam shifted Jude's little body around – pausing to take a large sniff of the top of his head, because he smelled so good – before lowering him into Gabriel's grasp. Gabe pulled the baby close and cradled him above his own glowing stomach. Dickie scooted a little closer to the two of them on the couch, seeming concerned for Gabe's belly.

“Hey there, sidekick,” Gabe smiled, “How goes the diaper life?”

Jude's little fingers found their way into Gabe's shaggy hair, where he tussled the golden strands and babbled incoherently. While the baby was happily distracted, Sam walked back into the kitchen to set up his highchair. The plastic device was folded up and leaning against the refrigerator, where Cas and Dean left it earlier. Sam grabbed it and opened it, making all four legs stand upright before placing it near the table.

Afterward, Sam slid the diaper bag from his shoulder and peered inside. There was a slip of paper inside – just like Cas said there would be – that gave extensively long instructions on how to feed Jude. But Sam didn't want to spend half and hour reading it, so he just retrieved a bib, a jar of baby food, and a rubber spoon. After watching Dean feed Jude for a few weeks, Sam was pretty sure he could do this without instructions. It wasn't rocket science, was it?

“Uh, Sam? Is it possible for babies to talk to unborn babies?” Gabe called.

Sam sat the jar of baby food down and raised his head to narrow his eyes toward the stove. Babies talking to each other? What kind of weird question was that?

“Um, I don't know. Why?” Sam asked.

“Because I think Jude is having a conversation with our rabbit,” Gabe answered.

Sam instantly put down everything he was holding and took two giant steps back into the study, wanting to see what Gabriel was talking about. On the couch, Jude had wiggled his way down to Gabe's lap and laid his head on the archangel's protruding stomach. The baby was mumbling random sounds and hugging Gabe's glowing belly, looking as though he was actually talking to the baby inside. A rush of awe came over Sam as he stared at the overwhelmingly adorable sight. Aw, Jude was talking to his unborn cousin! That was so freaking _cute_! But how in the world could a five-month-old baby comprehend that Gabe was pregnant?

“Does – does he know that she's in there?” Sam asked.

“I guess so. It must be the grace thing,” Gabe mumbled, raising his head to give Sam a smile, “She's moving around like she can hear him, too.”

Sam was at a loss for words. That was the most amazing thing he had ever heard of. With his mouth hanging open, Sam walked over to crouch down and place his hand on the top part of Gabe's stomach. Gabe was right. Their unborn daughter was moving around rapidly, stretching her arms and legs inside the womb. Jude giggled a few times in between his nonsensical words, like she was tickling him. Sam and Gabriel were wearing equally astonished grins as they watched and felt the babies interacting. Were _all_ babies able do this? Or were Jude and their daughter special because they were part angel?

“I don't know what he's saying, but our rabbit thinks he is hilarious,” Gabe mentioned.

Sam shook his head a bit. Man, he really wished that Dean and Cas were here to see this. Remembering Jude's parents also reminded Sam of his current task of getting lunch ready. The man reached over and rubbed the baby's back, gaining his attention.

“Are you ready to eat some lunch, little guy?” Sam asked.

Jude instantly smiled and flailed his arms, seeming very excited about the mention of food. Wearing a smile of his own, Sam carefully scooped the baby up from Gabe's lap. He made sure to lean over and give Gabe's belly _and_ Gabe's lips a few kisses before climbing to his feet. Gabe retrieved his bowl of salad and started eating again while Dickie reclaimed his usual spot at the archangel's side.

“I hope you like pureed peas,” Sam mumbled to the baby in his arms, “'cause its the only thing your daddies left for you.”

It seemed like Jude didn't care what his lunch was as long as it was food. Sam maneuvered the baby into the highchair, making sure his chubby legs went in properly before sliding the tray in place and sitting down in front of him. Sam put Jude's bib on first and then opened the jar of pasty green liquid. Ugh, he hoped that the baby liked this stuff because it looked really gross. Jude wiggled around with impatience and blinked excitedly at the jar in Sam's hand, obviously hungry.

Sam scooped some of the pureed peas onto the rubber spoon and brought it to the baby's open mouth. He thought about saying something like, ' _Here comes the choo-choo train, open wide_ ,' but he didn't. Jude eagerly ate the green peas even without the playful encouragement.

“Boy, you were hungry, huh?” Sam mumbled, feeding him another bite.

Jude smacked his pouty little lips together as he ate, accidentally getting green mush all over his bib. It kind of reminded Sam of watching Dean eat; seeing lettuce fall out of the back of his burger when he crunched into it or ketchup getting splattered all over his clothes. Apparently, the 'messy eater' trait had been passed down from father to son.

Sam smiled a little as he briefly turned around in his seat to glance through the kitchen doorway. He stared at his pregnant archangel from a distance, letting his mind wander. Which of Sam's traits would their baby come out with? Would she get his abnormal height? His hatred of clowns? His ability to read and comprehend books at a fast pace? And which of _Gabriel's_ traits was she going to posses? Would it be his quick wit? His smugness? His charm? His ability to woo a room with a snap of his fingers? It all sounded really nice. But no matter which set of traits his daughter came out with, Sam knew one thing for certain. She was going to be the most beautiful girl in the whole world – and the thought of kind of scared him. Of course he wanted her to be beautiful, but that meant that he was also going to have to beat the boys away with a stick. Geez, having a girl was way different than having a boy, wasn't it?

“ _Ah – Choo_!”

The sound of Jude's sudden, loud sneeze made Sam nearly jump in the air. The tall man turned back around in his seat to say 'bless you' to his nephew -

But the baby was gone.

Sam blinked at the vacant highchair for a second, seeing remnants of green peas splattered all over the white tray. Jude wasn't sitting in the seat anymore. Where did he go? How did he get out of the chair? Did he _fall_ out?! Sam quickly scooted back and searched the kitchen floor, looking for his nephew's white onesie and dark head of hair. But the floor was empty, too. It was like the baby had just sneezed and disappeared. Dread and horror washed over Sam as he staggered to his feet, accidentally knocking the chair behind him to the floor.

“G – Gabe,” he called, feeling the blood drain from his face, “Gabe! Get in here!”

Sam continued to search the room, desperately moving the highchair around and listening for the sound of Jude's voice. He had to be around here somewhere. Jude couldn't even walk yet! How did he just get up and vanish?! Gabriel waddled his way up to the kitchen doorway with Dickie at his side, looking confused.

“What is it?” he asked.

“The baby is gone,” Sam breathed, feeling panic swell in his chest.

Gabe's eyes narrowed for a second as if he couldn't believe what he just heard.

“Huh?” he said.

“ _The baby is gone! Jude is gone! I don't know where he went!_ ” Sam almost shouted, pointing to the vacant highchair.

Gabriel's mouth fell open as he stared at the empty highchair. His eyes were full of the same sense of fear and panic that Sam was feeling.

“Where did he go?” the archangel asked.

“I don't know! He just sneezed and then he was gone!” Sam panted, still zooming around the kitchen.

The man continued to move things and call Jude's name in a frenzy. Oh, God, what if they couldn't find him?! What if someone had popped in and kidnapped him or something?! Holy shit, Dean was going to _kill_ Sam! The first time he and Cas ask Sam to babysit, the baby gets kidnapped! Across the room, Gabriel slumped against the doorway and shook his head.

“Oh no,” the archangel huffed, looking worried, “Sam... I think he might have flown away...”

Sam dropped the diaper bag he was holding and turned to give his pregnant boyfriend a look of total shock. Flown away?! _Flown away_?! How the hell did Jude fly away?! Babies weren't supposed to fly!

“How?!” Sam breathed.

“He's got grace, kid. He probably did it without meaning to,” Gabe quickly explained.

“ _Well, where did he go?!_ ” Sam barked, feeling his own hands starting to tremble with fear.

“I have no idea,” Gabe replied wearily, “He could be anywhere... We need to get Cas back here, pronto.”

Sam gulped with terror. Shit. _Shit_. Dean and Cas were going to _kill_ him! As much as Sam feared the wrath of Jude's parents, he knew that finding the baby was much more important. Gabe was right. They needed to let Cas and Dean know about this right now. Sam raised his head toward the ceiling and took a large breath, feeling unsure of how to even put it into words.

“Cas,” he prayed, hearing the dread in his own voice, “Jude is gone.”

Less than a single second had ticked by when Sam felt the rush of a sudden breeze flow through the kitchen. Cas and Dean both appeared in the middle of the room, where Dean lost his balance and immediately stumbled into the fridge. There was honest confusion and bewilderment in his green eyes as he glanced around and mumbled ' _what the hell?_ ' Clearly, he didn't have a clue why Cas had zapped him back to Bobby's.

Cas, on the other hand, had pure fire in his eyes. The angel flew across the room and grabbed the front of Sam's shirt with both hands to yank him forward. Sam had never witnessed such concentrated fury on Cas's face before. The angel's eyes were wide, his jaw was set, and there were flickering hints of worry and anger dancing across his expression. For a second, Sam was sure that Cas was going to lose his shit and blast him away with a ball of light or something. But luckily, the angel decided to use words instead.

“What did you do?” Cas spat, his voice sounding like thunder.

For a second, Sam couldn't even find his voice. He was paralyzed with fear in the presence of Cas's unyielding rage. But he somehow managed to come up with a response.

“I – I didn't do anything,” Sam squeaked, “Jude was just eating lunch, then he sneezed and he was gone! That's it!”

“I think he used his grace again, Cas,” Gabriel said from the doorway, backing up Sam's explanation.

After he heard everything that happened, Cas disappeared into thin air. Sam's wrinkled shirt was set free as the angel left the room and the man took a small breath of relief in his absence. Geez, Cas was _scary_ when he meant business... Near the fridge, Dean glanced strangely between Sam and Gabriel, still a little confused.

“Jude?” he asked, his eyes slowly widening with fear, “What the hell is going on? Did something happen? Is he okay?”

“He flew away, Dean. We don't know where he is,” Sam answered, feeling terrible.

The color drained from Dean's face, leaving him pale as his eyes gravitated to the vacant highchair nearby. Sam wished that he could offer his brother some comfort. He wished that he could tell Dean that everything was going to be okay and that Cas was probably in the process of finding the baby right now – but he couldn't. Sam was just as worried and frightened as everyone else. And the worst part was that he felt responsible. If Sam hadn't been distracted by his own thoughts, if he had paid attention to the baby like he was supposed to, then maybe he could have stopped this from happening...

A few painful, agonizing moments ticked by before Castiel popped back into the room. The curtains and a few loose papers ruffled around as he appeared near the backdoor. Panic and anxiety were written all over his face as he dashed close to grab Dean's arm.

“His grace is too faint to detect. I've looked everywhere in the immediate area, Dean – everywhere that he may have been transported to – but I cannot find him,” the angel panted, his eyes brimming with fear.

“Oh my God,” Dean huffed, his voice cracking, “H – How did he... Where did... He's... He's just a _baby!_ ”

“I know,” Cas replied, his voice higher than usual, “I'll keep looking -”

“Wait, Cassie!”

Gabriel stepped further into the kitchen, holding onto his own glowing stomach. Luckily, Cas lingered behind long enough to listen to what his brother had to say. In fact, everyone had paused to look toward Gabriel, hoping that he could provide some useful information.

“If Jude flew away on his own, maybe he can fly back on his own too,” the archangel theorized.

“Jude _hates_ flying. It makes him sick,” Dean reminded in a biting tone.

“Yeah, but listen,” Gabe continued, “It's really easy for angels to fly. All you have to do is think of the place in your mind and go. So maybe if Jude hears one of your voices, he'll picture you in his head and get the urge to fly straight to you.”

After hearing Gabriel's rather brilliant theory, Cas instantly yanked Dean closer, spinning him around to look him dead in the eye.

“Pray, Dean,” the angel demanded, “Pray to our son. Right now.”

Dean's face turned an odd shade of pinkish red while he stared at Cas, as if he had been unexpectedly shoved into a spotlight. But the man quickly cleared his throat and lowered his eyes to the floor. He tilted his head away too, as if he wanted to shield his face from the gawking crowd.

“ _H – Hey Jude... Don't make it bad..._ ” Dean sang softly, his voice a little shaky, “ _Take a sad song and make it better..._ ”

Sam's heart ached at the sound of his brother's favorite song. Dean paused to look around and listen, probably hoping that Jude would have popped back into his highchair or something. But the baby was still gone, so he kept singing.

“ _Remember to let her into your heart..._ ” he hummed, “ _then you can start... to make it -_ ”

Dean sucked in a gasp as Jude suddenly fell in front of him. Luckily, Cas and Dean had been standing so close together that the baby landed perfectly between them, wedging himself in their linked arms. Of course, Jude started crying the moment he reappeared, reminding everyone of his dislike of flying. But the baby seemed to be in the same clean and healthy condition he had left in. Not a stain or scratch on him. Dean and Cas instantly wrapped their son into a swarming embrace, pecking him with kisses, holding him softly, and inspecting his small body. Sam eased a little closer to the family and looked over the baby for himself, wanting to make sure Jude wasn't hurt.

“Is he okay?” Sam asked over the sound of the baby's sobs.

“He seems a bit shaken up, but otherwise unharmed,” Cas sighed with relief, “His clothing smells of mulch and pollen. I assume he must have tumbled into a garden somewhere.”

Sam took a deep breath, feeling like a weight had been lifted off of his shoulders. He was genuinely grateful that his nephew was okay. Knowing that he popped into a garden instead of a swimming pool or the middle of a freeway made Sam feel a lot better. While Dean and Cas whispered soft reassurance to their crying son, Sam caught sight of Gabriel waddling closer. The glowing archangel was still cradling his own stomach as he walked up to hold onto Sam's arm for balance.

“Man, I hope that never happens to us,” Gabe whispered, looking a little worried.

Sam swallowed a hard gulp as he wrapped an arm around Gabe's shoulders and hugged him close. He was glad that Jude was back and that everything was okay, but Gabriel had a good point. Would this kind of thing happen to Sam and Gabe when _their_ baby was born? Would their daughter accidentally fly off without meaning to, just like Jude did? In a nervous rush of emotions, Sam's hand slipped down to cup the side of Gabe's warm stomach. He didn't want anything bad to happen to his child. Or Gabriel. Sam didn't know what he would do without them...

While everyone stood around hugging each other, the backdoor of the kitchen opened up. Bobby came stumbling in with a hoard of furry puppies around his ankles. The old man was covered in oil stains and was holding a few dirty tools in his hands, looking like he had a long morning of fixing up junk cars. He slowed to a halt in the kitchen when he looked up to see everyone hugging each other with pale, panicked faces. His gray eyes flitted to each person with confusion as the puppies played on the floor.

“Did I miss somethin'?” he asked, raising an eyebrow under his crooked hat.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Angelic babysitting: I wouldn't recommend it. ;) My head canon – which, I guess makes it already kind of canon – is that Jude accidentally sneezed himself back to the motel they were staying at before, only he appeared in the flowerbed outside. He didn't get hurt or anything. He was just a little scared from the flight. Needless to say, Dean and Cas will not be leaving Jude behind anymore, until he learns how to control his grace. ;)


	8. Chapter 8

Gabe shifted around uncomfortably in Bobby Singer's desk chair, trying to get that awful pain in his lower back to go away. The baby inside his womb was getting pretty big now. Her hands and feet had finally taken shape, fine hairs were starting to spring up on her scalp, and her body was so long that she was beginning to curl up. Gabriel could feel every little bit of his child's formation through his grace, and he thought it was really amazing and all. But, _man_. Being pregnant was no walk in the park.

Gabriel's vessel felt inflated to the max. His spine was aching, his feet were killing him, and the skin around his torso was already lined with pink stretch marks. _Stretch marks_! His basketball-sized stomach was covered in so many squiggly lines that it looked like a race track for matchbox cars. It was horrendous. To top it all off, Gabe wasn't sure how to feel about all of these mental and physical changes because his emotions kept shuffling around like a deck of playing cards. How did women do this? How did they put up with this kind of desecration to their figures and the constant pain of being pregnant? Hell, how did _Castiel_ put up with this a few months ago? Pregnancy was so _hard_.

“I feel like a blimp. An _actual_ blimp,” Gabe spat in annoyance, raising his head to look across the room at his little brother, “This sucks, Cas. How did you do it?”

Castiel was standing near one of Bobby Singer's many bookshelves, gently swaying back and forth with his son in his arms. Jude had fallen asleep while still holding onto his little stuffed bee with a pacifier in his mouth. After the baby's whole 'flying' fiasco happened, everyone decided that it would be best if Cas and Sam traded places. Sammy went with his older brother to go take care of the werewolf problem while Cassie stayed behind with Gabe and Jude. The Winchesters had been gone for a few hours and old man Singer was still wandering around his salvage yard with a swarm of puppies. Everyone else's absence left the angels alone in the house. When Gabriel spoke to his brother, Castiel looked up from his child to give him a questioning eyebrow.

“How did I do what?” Cas almost whispered.

“ _This_ ,” Gabe sighed, leaning back to put both hands on his giant glowing stomach, “Don't get me wrong, man, I love being able to feel her grow and stuff. But, damn, I didn't know it was going to be this hard. Everything hurts. My back, my feet, my neck, my _heart_... I'm a walking, talking sore, Cas. Were you not in pain when you were pregnant?”

Cas's blue eyes briefly flitted to the sleeping infant in his arms before reuniting with Gabriel's stare.

“I suppose I was in some pain,” the angel admitted, “but I was so focused on keeping my child safe from the angels who were attempting to kill him that I was distracted from most of the discomforts of pregnancy.”

Gabriel swallowed a large gulp, secretly feeling like the smallest person in the world. He had forgotten that Cas was hunted down during his whole pregnancy. Wow, Gabe really didn't have room to complain about a few aches and pains, did he? The archangel blinked toward his dog on the floor, trying to hide his shame. The mere thought of Cas's strength made Gabe feel like a weak child by comparison...

“Yeah...” Gabe muttered, unsure of what else to say.

“Perhaps a distraction is what you need, brother,” Cas suggested kindly, “Something to shift your focus away from your own physical condition.”

Gabe's ears perked up at the sound of enthusiasm in Cas's voice. A distraction? That actually sounded kind of nice. But what could possibly be powerful enough to distract him from that sharp, terrible ache in his lower back?

“Okay. Like what?” Gabe asked.

“Well... Have you given your child a name yet?” Cassie asked.

Another wave of shame crested over Gabriel, making his cheeks flare up with heat. He and Sam had been referring to their daughter by her nickname for days and hadn't gotten around to giving her an actual name yet...

“No,” the archangel sighed, “She's still nameless...”

“Then perhaps choosing a name for your child will help you to forget about the pain,” Castiel suggested.

Gabe nodded as he leaned back in Bobby Singer's desk chair. As usual, Cas was able to give him awesome advice. There was a world full of names out there; so many sweet, colorful, beautiful names to choose from! Narrowing down the choices was going to take a while and what better time to do it than right now?

“Can you hand me Sam's computer, lil' bro?” Gabe asked, pointing toward the moose's duffel bag.

Castiel glanced down at the sleeping baby in his arms again before striding over to zip open the bag and dig around inside. Jude squirmed a little bit in the crook of Cas's arm, seeming on the verge of waking up. But Cas was able to give him a soothing kiss that lulled him back to sleep. Gabe sighed at the adorable sight while he rubbed his own belly with admiration. Man, he couldn't wait to do that. He couldn't wait to hold his daughter, kiss her cute little face, and stare at her while she slept... When Cas placed Sam's laptop on Bobby's desk, Gabe cracked his knuckles and opened it up with a giant smile. A strange sense of excitement had come over him and he suddenly felt eager to start hunting for the perfect name.

“I've got a billion names to cycle through and zero grace to help me do it – Oh! _Grace_! That's a good one! See? I'm already thinking up names,” Gabe grinned.

Cas smiled brightly, seeming amused by Gabriel's giddiness. Gabe had no idea where his own enthusiasm had come from. Maybe it was part of the hormonal pregnancy package or something. But whatever the reason, he was glad that he at least had something fun to do that would take his mind off of being human. While Gabriel clicked on the internet icon and started to search the web for baby names, Cas wandered toward the doorway of the study.

“Good luck with your search, brother,” the seraph said quietly.

Gabriel was barely aware that Castiel had left the room because he was already neck-deep in a list of baby names. The archangel decided to scribble down the ones he liked the most on a piece of paper, so that he could tell Sam about them when he got back. Gabe figured that naming their daughter was something that he and Sam should do together. Besides, there were so many names to choose from, he needed help narrowing it down anyway...

As Gabe expected, there were a ridiculous amount of websites on the internet dedicated solely to baby names. The lists were conveniently categorized into alphabetical order, male, female, and origin. But Gabe found it more fun to press the 'randomize' button and see what popped up. For what seemed like hours, that was all he did; clicked on the 'randomize' option and wrote down anything that looked relatively interesting. The only rule – well, more like parameter – that he gave himself was that the name couldn't be too weird or extravagant. He liked the idea of a simple common name. Because his half-angel, half-hunter child was already going to have a tough time fitting in without adding an off-the-wall name...

Every so often, Gabe would look down at his stomach and ask the baby for an opinion and she would sometimes respond. For example, when he asked her what she thought of the name 'Brittany', she gave a sudden jerk in protest, inadvertently kicking him in the bladder and almost making him pee his pants. So, naturally, the name Brittany was banished from the list for all eternity. Gabe asked Dickie what he thought about a few of the names, too. But the dog seemed more interested in playing with his stuffed moose than helping his owner with the task of naming his future playmate. So, Gabe mostly compiled the list by himself. And with every name he added, he got more and more excited to share them with Sam.

After nightfall – around eight o'clock, going my the time on Sam's computer – Gabriel heard the sound of Bobby's backdoor opening and two sets of heavy boots clomping into the house. In a rush of anticipation, the archangel quickly climbed to his feet, picked up the list of names, and started toward the kitchen, hoping to meet his giant moose there. The Winchester brothers were both taking off their mud-caked boots at the door when Gabe walked in. Sammy looked a little weary, but no less gorgeous than before. Seeing him again actually made Gabe's stomach – and the baby inside it – lurch with joy.

“Hey, kiddo,” Gabriel grinned, leaning against the fridge to take some of the pressure off of his feet, “How'd it go?”

“It went okay,” Sam smiled, sliding out of his dirty jacket, “We chased the monsters off for now. Didn't have to kill anything for once. How are you, Gabe? You look... shiny.”

Gabriel glanced down at his own body to see that his skin was glowing pretty bright. The over-sized plaid shirt he was wearing was all lit up too, making him look like a round glow stick with legs. But Gabe didn't care about the way he looked right now. He was more excited about sharing the list in his hand.

“Dean-o, do you mind giving me a minute with the beanpole? We need to talk about something,” Gabriel asked.

The older brother gave the archangel a brief glance of weariness before rolling his eyes and starting to walk away.

“Fine. I'll just go talk to _your_ brother,” Dean mumbled to Gabe as he passed by.

Once Dean left the room, Gabriel hobbled over to Sam and pulled him down into a 'hello' kiss. Sam's long arms snaked around Gabe's tense back and the archangel sank into their embrace, letting his nose breathe in the wonderful scent of his rugged hunter. Ah. Saying hello to him was so nice. Nothing in the world felt as good as getting to hug and kiss Sam Winchester...

“Mmm,” Sam sighed, gently easing back with a smile, “You're awfully happy, Gabe. What did you want to talk about?”

Gabriel raised his hand and waved the piece of paper around, letting his own smile grow.

“Well, Mr. Moose-caboose, while you were out there saving lives, I decided to get proactive about this pregnancy and pick out a few name choices for our lil' rabbit,” he answered.

“Names? Really?” Sam smiled, glancing at the paper, “What have you got so far?”

Gabriel dramatically cleared his throat and shook out the paper, putting on an entertaining act for Sam. The kid was smiling when the archangel glanced down at his own notes.

“Well, for starters, I thought that we could go ahead and make 'Mary' her middle name. You know, because of obvious reasons. Is that okay with you?” Gabe asked.

Sammy's pretty eyes widened with emotion almost instantly. His bottom lip puckered up the slightest bit and he blinked at Gabriel a few times in awe. It seemed like the kid was genuinely impressed by the fact that Gabriel picked out his mother's name for their child.

“Y – Yeah,” Sam breathed, sounding pleased, “That's perfect.”

“Okay, good,” Gabe smiled, “As for her first name, I have a few options that I was hoping you might like. So, what do you think about the name 'Sarah'?”

'Sarah' was one of the names that Gabriel had chosen first. He liked the simplicity of it and the way it hissed out of peoples' mouths. But the moment Gabriel mentioned the name, a weird look crossed Sam's face. His nose scrunched up a little and he shifted around uncomfortably by the backdoor.

“Um... It's okay, but... See, I kind of used to have a girlfriend named Sarah, so it just brings up a lot of bad memories,” he admitted quietly.

Gabriel gulped a bit, letting his arms slip from the man's shoulders. Oh. Great. _Another_ ex-girlfriend to contend with. Well, _that_ name was out for sure. It didn't matter that much, anyway. Gabriel had an entire list of names to choose from. He scanned the list for the next one, wanting to move on.

“Right. Well, how about the name 'Madison'?” Gabriel continued, “I thought it sounded cute and it's got a very -”

The archangel stopped in mid-sentence when he saw Sam suddenly cringe. His eyes squinted and his nose crunched up again, like he had just been hit with something.

“What?” Gabe asked.

Sam let out a heavy sigh before bringing himself to speak.

“I, um, I sort of slept with someone named Madison once,” he mumbled, “She was a werewolf and she asked me to kill her... It... It was complicated...”

Gabriel blinked a few times, feeling like he was in a daze. Seriously? Sam slept with a suicidal werewolf named Madison? What the hell? Gabriel could feel bitterness trying to sneak its way into his heart again, but he fought against it. So what, Sam had slept with a couple of people before? Everybody had a past love life, right? Even though he was kind of bummed, the archangel coughed again before moving on to the next name on the list.

“Er. Yeah... Anyway, I also like the name 'Amelia,'” Gabe went on, “It sounds nice and it's universal, because we can shorten it to 'Amy' if we want – _Why are you making that face again_?”

Sam was cringing even harder now, contorting his face and hunching over a little. He shook his head in defeat and raked a hand through his long hair as he let out a weak chuckle.

“I was in a long-term relationship with a veterinarian named Amelia,” he squeaked, sounding embarrassed, “and a girl named Amy Pond was my first kiss...”

Gabriel was utterly dumbfounded. He couldn't believe what he was hearing! Every single name he had mentioned so far had been linked to Sam's past lovers somehow. Every single one! Gabriel couldn't stop the bitterness from taking over his heart anymore. It was already flowing through his veins like fireball whiskey. All the happiness had fled his body, leaving him resentful and angry.

“Geez, Sam. If you put anymore notches on your bedpost, the headboard is going to fall off,” Gabriel spat, balling up the paper in his hand, “You know what? Nevermind. I don't want to talk about this right now.”

Despite Sam's protest and constant calls of ' _Gabe, where are you going? Please come back_ ,' Gabriel threw the paper away and stormed out of the room. Well, more like 'quickly waddled away in a furious manner.' The pregnant archangel staggered down Bobby Singer's hallway in no particular direction, seething with rage. Just the thought of Sam being with someone else was enough to make Gabriel angry. And hearing the long list of women that he had _already been with_ just made him feel worse. That seed of bitterness and envy spouted roots in his chest and was snaking its way deeper into his heart. Ugh, it was like dreaming about Jessica all over again! Only this time, he really wanted to _punch_ something!

The tiny pitter-patter of Dickie's feet followed Gabe into Bobby's living room, where the archangel plopped himself on the couch and ripped the remote from the coffee table. He angrily turned the TV on and settled in to a brooding stance, glaring at the screen in front of him while he punched the buttons on the remote. He wasn't even searching for something to watch. He was just flipping through the programs, trying to keep his level of rage to a minimum. Wheel of Fortune, Full House, Nancy Grace, Family Guy, Animal Cops, Total Gym infomercials – It all blurred passed in glimpses as Gabriel furiously changed the channels.

Dickie eventually jumped onto the couch with Gabe, carrying his stuffed moose in his mouth. Instead of humping the poor thing like he usually did, the dog dropped the ragged toy at Gabriel's side and barked. Gabriel briefly tore his attention away from the TV to look down at his dog, who was nudging the moose closer to him.

“What?” Gabe snapped.

Dickie gave another quiet bark and nudged his toy again. He was obviously trying to send the archangel a message, but Gabe wasn't getting it. Inside his stomach, the baby was moving around, too. She was pushing out with her tiny hands and fluttering her feet, turning herself around in the womb like an acrobat. Gabriel grunted and he cradled his own belly, able to feel his daughter rotating in circles. Why was she doing that? Was she upset? Maybe she could somehow sense that her Papa was angry...

Gabriel took a deep breath and tried to calm his rapid heartbeat. He didn't want his little girl or his dog to worry. Gabe wanted them to be happy. And the more he calmed down, the more he started to feel bad about getting rude with Sam in the kitchen. It wasn't the kid's fault that Gabriel had picked out names that reminded him of his previous girlfriends. And, yeah, maybe Gabriel had overreacted a bit... but knowing that Sam had been with so many beautiful women in the past made Gabriel feel like he wasn't even good enough to compete with them. Especially when it came to Jessica...

“Gabe?”

The archangel swiveled his head around to look toward the hall, where Sam's soft voice had come from. The tall man was towering in the doorway, wearing a look of honest concern. His sleeves were rolled up and his fingers looked a little damp, which made Gabe think that he had been washing his hands or something. Sammy took a step closer to the couch to kneel down beside it. The longer he stared at Sam's handsome face, the worse Gabriel felt about what happened in the kitchen. But as much as he wanted to say sorry, he couldn't bring himself to speak.

“I know that your back probably hurts and it's irritating you,” the man uttered quietly, “but I've got something that might help.”

Gabriel blinked a few times, finally letting his anger fade away. Wow, Sam was really observant. And as usual, the kid was right. Gabe's back was killing him. But what could possibly help him deal with the pain, though?

“What is it?” the archangel asked.

Instead of answering, Sam smiled and stood back up. He reached down to take both of Gabriel's hands and pulled on them with a gentle tug, helping him climb back to his feet. Gabe held down a noise when the sharp ache returned to the base of his spine and clung to Sam's waist to take some of the pressure off his lower back. Once they were up, Sam started to lead him out of the room and down the hall, walking slow for the pregnant angel's sake. They turned into the last room on the left, where the light was on. And a cloud of steam hit them in the doorway.

Goosebumps rose up on Gabriel's skin as he looked around the warm, bright bathroom. A flowery fresh scent was thick in the moist air, the mirror was fogged up, and steam was rising up from the bathtub a few feet in front of him. The marble claw-foot tub was filled with hot water and foamy bubbles, looking oh-so inviting. Gabriel stood up straight and eyed the comforting scene, feeling the baby wiggle around in his grace some more. Aww, this was so nice! Did Sam really do this _for him_?

“You... You drew me a bath?” Gabriel asked, turning to look up at his moose in wonder.

“Yeah,” Sam replied casually, stepping over to sit on the edge of the tub and face Gabe, “The hot water will relieve some of the tension in your muscles and help you relax. Plus, I figured playing in the bubbles would make you feel better, too.”

Gabe gulped, feeling tears press at the back of his eyes. Sam was so unbelievably _sweet_! He didn't have to do all of this for Gabe, but he _did_! Because he was the best boyfriend ever! Sam reached back and swished some of the hot water around with his hand, giving an extra sneaky grin.

“It's still hot,” he persuaded.

Gabriel glanced down at the steaming water and rubbed his own stomach again, feeling kind of nervous. Usually, he loved getting naked in front of Sam. Hell, taking his clothes off in front of Sam was one of Gabriel's favorite things to do. But now that his stomach was the size of a giant basketball – and covered in ugly, jagged stretch marks – Gabe was a little hesitant to let Sam see him naked. Sam seemed to notice the archangel's reluctance because his eyebrows slowly slid together.

“What? Do you need some help getting undressed?” he asked, already standing back up.

“ _No_ ,” Gabe said quickly, taking a step back, “No. It's just... Can you turn around until I get in the water?”

As Gabriel half expected, Sam appeared confused by his request. The man's eyes narrowed in wonder as he eyed the archangel's clothed, glowing body.

“You want me to turn around? Seriously?” Sam asked flatly, “But, Gabe, I've seen you naked a thousand times – ”

“Just do it, kid,” Gabe grumbled.

Even though he seemed a little exasperated, Sam eventually did what Gabe asked him to do. The kid stood beside the tub and turned to face the opposite wall, giving Gabriel a clear shot to the warm water. The archangel quickly unbuttoned the over-sized plaid shirt and shimmied out of it before wiggling quickly out of his pants and underwear, too. He left his clothes in a pile near the door and hobbled over to climb into the tub.

The moment his bare foot slid into the hot water, Gabriel's whole body shuddered with relief. _Ahhh_. That felt so _good_. Gabe let out a long and happy exhale as he eased down into the suds and relaxed against the back of the tub, letting his arms and legs stretch out and float amongst the bubbles. The baby in his grace seemed to enjoy the warm sensation too, because she stopped wiggling like she was finally comfortable. Once his body was completely covered, Gabe reached up to tug on Sam's leg.

“Okay, Samsquatch. You can look now,” he smiled.

Sam turned back around with a smile before kneeling next to the tub and shaking his head.

“Was that really necessary, Gabe?” he asked, letting his large hand swim into the water and gently splash around.

“Yes,” Gabe replied, briefly closing his eyes.

“Why?” Sam persisted.

“Because I'm as big as the Stay Puft Marshmallow Man and I'm covered in stretch marks. That's why,” the archangel answered.

Gabe felt Sam's hand again a moment later. The man's giant fingers waded their way to the archangel's stomach under the foamy water, where he gently cradled the top of Gabe's tight baby bump. Inside Gabriel's grace, their child responded to the touch; straightening her back as if she really liked feeling the weight of Sam's hand hovering over her. Gabriel smiled. The bond between moose and rabbit was already strong.

“She loves you, Sam,” Gabe mentioned, “Should I start calling you 'Daddy,' now?”

There was a small pause in which Sam didn't answer. Gabe's eyes were closed, so he didn't know why Sam wasn't talking anymore. For a second, Gabe thought that the kid had left the room or something because his hand had disappeared from the archangel's belly. But then, both of Sam's huge hands suddenly dove into the water at his back. Gabriel's eyes flickered open as he felt Sam's strong fingers latch onto his wet shoulders and start to massage them. Sam's mouth was hovering against the side of Gabe's head too, tickling the rim of his ear with heated breath.

“Sure. You can call me 'Daddy' if you want,” Sam purred seductively.

Tingles raced up Gabriel's spine, making more goosebumps spring up on his skin. Dammit, when Sam did turn into such a smooth talker? Had he been stealing notes from Gabriel's play book? While he indulged in the feeling of Sam's thumbs drawing firm circles against shoulders, Gabe suddenly felt Sam's mouth against his neck. The kid was pecking him with wet kisses while he massaged him, making blood rush towards Gabe's crotch without warning.

The archangel's mouth fell open to breathe as he reached up to grab both sides of the bathtub. Sam's mouth never failed to get him going. The smallest kiss or lick of his tongue was able to do obscene things to Gabriel's state of being and this time was no different. Shit, Gabe was already getting _hard_. His dick was pumping to life in the warm water, floating up to peek out from beyond his round belly in the bubbles. Gabe blinked at the head of his own cock in confusion as he allowed Sam more access to his neck. Where the hell did this horniness come from? Damn, he wanted to have sex with Sam _right now_. What was making him feel this way? Was it his hormones? The bath? The massage? Sam's overpowering kisses? Ugh, it was all so good. Gabe didn't want any of it to stop.

About the time Sam's hands started to raise up over Gabe's shoulders and slide down the cavity of his flat chest, Gabriel decided that he was done being teased. With a sudsy splash, the pregnant archangel twisted around in the bathtub to grab the front of Sam's shirt and tug him close for a kiss. He accidentally yanked Sam off balance in the process, forcing the kid to slip halfway into the water. The bottom of his shirt and part of his jeans got wet but Sam didn't seem to care. His mouth was kissing back just as eagerly and he was crawling even further into the tub.

Water started to spill over the porcelain rim of the bathtub as Sam eased into the water with Gabriel. There was barely enough room for them to move around in, but Sam was able to somehow snake his way out of his wet clothes and toss them overboard. Gabriel helped him do it too, making sure to tug his pants and underwear down to free his quickly-growing dick. Seeing Sam completely naked in a tub full of water surrounded by fluffy mountains of bubbles only made Gabriel's own cock throb in desperation. When they were both equally nude, Sam pulled back to shift around awkwardly in the tub.

“I don't think we have enough room do it in here,” he breathed.

“Nonsense,” Gabe replied.

The archangel raised his hand and snapped his fingers, attempting to use his grace to widen the tub and give them more room. But by this point in the pregnancy, most of his grace was being used to surround his daughter and nothing happened when he tried to use it. Gabe's heart sank a little bit as he looked at his ineffective fingers. Dammit! He _hated_ not being able to use his grace! Sam seemed to notice Gabriel's current dilemma because the kid quickly gave him a kiss to recapture their momentum.

“Get on your knees and grab the side of the tub,” Sam suggested.

Although he was still secretly bummed about not being able to use his grace, Gabriel followed Sam's instructions. He climbed to his knees in the warm water and turned to face the opposite direction, angling his own ass toward Sam's crotch. He took hold of the rim of the bathtub just in time to feel Sam reach around between his legs and grab his entire dick.

“ _Ahh_ ,” the archangel gasped, rocking a little bit into Sam's tight fist.

The warm soapy water made a nice lubricant, helping the two of them get into position. Sam stretched Gabe's hole open with his fingers for a second, making tingles race up his back again, before starting to guide his massive cock inside. Gabriel quivered, feeling torn between wanting to ease back on Sam's huge shaft and wanting to thrust into his tight hand. Once the kid slid all the way in for the first time, he sighed and craned over Gabe's back, hovering above the archangel like a canopy to grab the tub with his free hand.

“Shit, you're so tight, Gabe,” he whimpered.

That was it. Gabe was lost to his own pleasure after hearing the arousal in Sam's voice. The archangel's round stomach swished in the water beneath him as Sam started to thrust in and out. The repetitive motion made water spill over the edge of the tub and splash onto the tiled floor. Gabe could feel bubbles swaying against his bare skin as he moved with Sam in the water. He felt so _full_ ; stuffed to the limit with Sam's dick inside. Sam's huge hand kept working on Gabe's cock too, massaging it from base to tip at a constant speed. While they rocked back and forth in the tub, Gabriel ached his back to press against Sam's wet torso

“D – Dammit, Sam,” he panted, reaching up to tangle his hand in the kid's long hair, “Don't stop! _Ahh! Yeah! Don't stop!_ ”

Thankfully, Sam didn't stop. He just kept going, pounding hard into Gabriel's ass and tugging furiously on his dick. Bubbly water kept splashing out and smacking the floor while they moved and Sam's breath was catching in his throat. Gabe could already feel a storm of an orgasm swelling up in his balls. Oh, shit! It was right there! Teetering on the edge! Just a few more thrusts! Just a few more shouts of Sam's name! Just a little more pounding, and tugging, and throbbing, and kissing, and panting, and -

“ _S – Sam! Yes! Ahh!_ ” Gabriel cried out, curling his fingertips against the man's scalp.

Orgasm exploded through Gabe's body like a bomb, making his dick pulse in the water and his eyes roll back. Sam's cock slid in and out of his hole the whole time, forcing every last drop of semen out of his body. His hands trembled around the wet porcelain and his thighs quivered as he came, making him loose control of his own motor functions. In those few seconds, Gabe didn't even know where he was. He was totally consumed by his orgasm; completely enveloped in Sam's body as if the two of them were melting together like hot fudge and ice cream. It was like magic. Literal magic...

After his body was through convulsing and his voice was done screaming, Gabriel carefully turned around and slumped back into the water. He cradled his stomach and floated there amongst the bubbles, just panting and blinking up at Sam above him. The kid had carefully pulled out and was now trying to jerk himself the rest of the way to orgasm, still arched over Gabe with a death grip on the side of the tub. Even though he was still a little woozy from his own orgasm, Gabriel still wanted to help his moose achieve the big finale. He reached up with a trembling hand to grab Sam's swollen cock and start to pump it. Sam let his own hand fall away and started to thrust desperately into Gabe's fist, whimpering and mumbling profanities.

“Oh, Gabe, shit! _Yeah! Ahh!_ ” he almost shouted.

Gabriel watched the white fluid burst from the head of Sam's dick. It spurted out and blended in with the sudsy bubbles; some of it reaching as far as the archangel's bare chest. Gabe always felt a little smug when he was able to get Sam to come, especially with just one hand. He loved that urgent, drunken look that appeared on Sam's face; with his rosy cheeks, open mouth, and rapidly blinking eyes. Sammy never looked more beautiful than when he was in the middle of an orgasm.

Eventually, the kid turned sensitive and his dick stopped pulsing. Once he calmed down enough, Sam gently fell back into the tub with Gabriel. He twisted around as he fell down, scooping the wet archangel into his arms to keep him on top. Sam relaxed on his back, holding Gabriel against his chest. By the time it was all over, there was only a few inches of water left in the tub. The rest of it was out on the bathroom floor, making the place look like a flood zone. Gabriel gulped and panted against Sam's warm, moist chest, feeling his own wet hair stick to the kid's skin. Damn, that was good. His back wasn't hurting at all.

“I'm going to have to find a mop soon or Bobby will kill us,” Sam panted with a smile.

Gabriel smiled too, but didn't raise his head. The only thing he could really do was feel the aftershock of his amazing orgasm... and the constant beat of his daughter's fragile heart. The archangel slid his hand up to touch his own glowing stomach in the suds. The baby seemed to be utterly content inside his grace. She wasn't moving at all, but Gabriel could feel amniotic fluid shifting in and out of her tiny lungs. All the feel-good chemicals from Gabriel's orgasm were affecting her too, making her feel relaxed and happy. Gabe smiled a little bit at the top of his stomach. He was so glad that she got to share in her parent's intimate moment.

“What's the matter? Is she okay?” Sam asked.

Apparently, he had noticed that Gabe was holding his stomach. Gabriel shifted around on top of Sam to finally raise his head and look up at him. The kid's hair was all wet and filled with pecks of bubbles, but _damn_. He still looked sexy as hell.

“Yeah, moose. She's fine,” Gabriel replied, feeling his smile fade the longer he stared at Sam, “But... She still doesn't have a name...”

All the bad feelings from earlier were trying to crawl back into Gabe's chest. But luckily, the touch of Sam's hand seemed to make it all go away. The kid reached up to cup the archangel's cheek and caress his bottom lip, giving him that signature puppy-dog look.

“Don't worry, Gabe. The right name will come to us,” he promised.

Gabe took a deep breath and let himself relax on top of Sammy's bare body again. Yeah. The kid was right, just like always. The right name was bound to hit him eventually, one way or another. A more amused look came across Sam's face as he briefly glanced at Gabriel's stomach between them.

“By the way,” he whispered, reaching down to touch the shining baby bump, “those stretch marks are adorable.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'll be honest, I tried make Gabriel feel as many emotions in this chapter as possible; annoyance, enthusiasm, excitement, shock, irritation, anger, rage, guilt, embarrassment, calmness, arousal, happiness – You know, the typical spectrum of pregnancy hormones. ;) I'm sure a lot of you already know this, but I will go ahead and mention that I did not make up any of Sam's past girlfriends. They are all canon and so is everything he said about them. (Yes, even the suicidal werewolf, who he did have to kill in season 2, episode 17.) I know most of you are probably bummed that the baby still doesn't have a name. But, like Sam said, it will come to them eventually. At least you know that 'Mary' is her middle name. ;) I really hope that I did the smut scene justice in this chapter. Would pregnant-Gabriel and Sam actually be able to fit inside – and have sex in – Bobby Singer's bathtub? I like to think so. ;) As always, thank you guys sooo much for reading and commenting! I love you all! <3


	9. Chapter 9

After cleaning up their mess in the bathroom – which took twenty minutes, a mop, and several towels – Sam and Gabriel tossed some clothes back on and headed for bed. The soothing mixture of warm water and orgasmic release made Sam pretty sleepy. He yawned a few times as he helped his pregnant archangel climb into bed and wearily crawled in after him to lay close together. Their eyes gravitated toward Gabe's stomach, of course. Not just because of the glow it was emitting, but because it was also where the third person in the room was...

Sam exhaled calmly as he placed his hand back on top of Gabriel's warm belly. The baby inside was wiggling around a little bit and Sam was sure that he felt the outline of a teeny-tiny foot against his fingers. Man, that was so amazing. In fact, _everything_ about this experience was amazing. Watching Gabe's body change, feeling the baby move around in the womb – Hell, just knowing that he and Gabriel had created a life together was enough to give Sam chills. And the fact that she was a girl was just the cherry on top.

“Goodnight, little rabbit,” Sam hummed, gently rubbing Gabe's huge stomach, “I love you.”

The baby flinched a bit in response, obviously acknowledging the sound of his voice. Sam leaned over to kiss the warm bump before dragging his lips all the way up the cavity of Gabe's torso, chest, and neck to find his moist, candy-coated lips. Sam lazily swirled his tongue inside Gabe's mouth for a second before pulling back to whisper.

“And I love _you_ , Papa Gabe,” he grinned, staring down into the amber eyes he adored so much.

“Love you too, kid,” Gabe replied, shifting around on the bed, “Now, roll over and get some sleep before you collapse on top of me and pin me down with your moose weight.”

Sam chuckled, but did what he was told. He edged over to give Gabe a little more room but kept one of his long arms tossed around the archangel's chest. He could feel Gabe's heart beating directly below his skin and could smell the alluring scent of Gabe's hair in his nose. Everything about Gabriel made Sam's senses melt with satisfaction. Although his eyes were already closed, he was pretty sure that Gabe was smiling beside him as the two of them drifted to sleep...

For Sam, the whole night was pretty restful. He didn't dream anything, he was comfortable in the warm sheets, and by the time he woke up in the morning, he felt refreshed and ready to start the day. He blinked his eyes open with a smile and instantly rolled over to look for his pregnant archangel. But Gabe wasn't beside him in bed anymore. Instead, Gabriel had migrated to a chair across the room.

Sam sat up and rubbed his eyes with a yawn before studying his glowing boyfriend a few feet away. Most of Gabriel's glow was concentrated around his stomach, now. The rest of his body was left dim – and kind of pale. Gabe's eyes weren't their usual shade of vibrant gold anymore. They resembled the shade of wilted sunflower petals, now. His lips were pinkish-white and dry and there were dark circles around his eyes. The ghostly sight of him made Sam worry instantly. Man, he looked _exhausted_. Was he okay? Did he get any sleep at all last night? What was wrong?

“Gabe?” Sam mumbled, crawling out of bed to crouch down in front of him, “Are you okay?”

“Huh? Oh, yeah. I'm fine, moose,” Gabe replied wearily, seeming to come out of a trance, “Just fine. Peachy, in fact.”

“No, you're not. You look terrible. Did you get _any_ sleep last night?” he asked.

Sam immediately reached up to curl some of Gabe's blond hair behind his ears and cradled his pale face. Gabe's head went kind of limp in Sam's hands and his eyes blinked even slower. A huge yawn erupted from his mouth, inadvertently answering the man's question. It was clear that Gabriel didn't sleep _at all_ last night.

“Why didn't you sleep?” Sam asked.

“I don't need sleep. I'm a freakin' archangel,” Gabriel grumbled in protest.

“Gabe, you're _pregnant_. You're basically _human_. Your body needs sleep in order to -”

“My body is fine,” Gabe snapped, lifting his head out of Sam's hands.

Sam gulped, feeling a strange mixture of worry and sympathy. Gabe's body needed rest, but it seemed like he was flat out refusing to sleep at all. Why would he do that? Why would he refuse the one thing that would help him the most? Was it because sleeping made him feel too human? Too weak? Or was it something else? Did that nightmare from the other night scare him into fearing the thought of closing his eyes?

Although Sam felt the urge to ask Gabriel a lot of these questions, he was briefly distracted by Gabe's hands. They both rose up to hold his glowing stomach – and the sight of the archangel's pregnant belly made Sam's mouth fall open in surprise. During just a few short hours overnight, the baby had grown a lot bigger. It looked like Gabe had swallowed an entire watermelon. Sam's own hands dropped down to cradle both sides of Gabriel's large stomach too, where he could barely stand to look at the harsh light beaming from it.

“Geez. How far along are you this morning, Gabe?” Sam asked.

“Well, the rabbit is starting to blink her eyes and grab onto her own umbilical cord... I'm gonna have to say... Six months in human terms? Maybe?” the archangel uttered, “I don't know. I just want food.”

“Food? But, you're exhausted. You need _rest_.”

“I'll rest after I give birth, okay? Until then, Papa wants a giant bowl of carrots,” Gabriel bickered, trying to stand up from the chair.

It seemed like Gabe was going to start his day with or without Sam's consent. Even though he was both pained and exasperated by Gabriel's stubbornness, Sam helped the archangel to his feet. He noticed that Gabe's legs were weak and wobbly, so he wrapped Gabriel close to his side for extra balance. Sam rolled his eyes and started slowly for the door, giving Gabe assistance toward the kitchen.

“If our daughter comes out with _half_ of your obstinacy, I feel sorry for us both,” Sam mentioned with a secret grin.

Gabe didn't reply to Sam's witty remark. He was too busy focusing on his own steps. The two of them finished the trek to the kitchen doorway, where Sam helped him cross the threshold and enter the room. The thick scent of Bobby's coffee was lingering in the air, the bright glow of morning sunshine was beaming in the windows...

But it wasn't until he raised his head to look toward the table that Sam realized the room was full of people – and covered in pink decorations.

Sam and Gabriel both stopped in their tracks by the refrigerator as they took in the sight before them. Dean, Cas, Jude, and Bobby were all wide awake and sitting at the table. Dickie was playing with the three hellhound puppies on the floor, in front of a few large boxes that were covered in pink wrapping paper. Pink streamers were hanging around the cabinets and pink balloons were floating by the curtains, making the kitchen look like a setting for a little girl's surprise party. When the guys at the table looked up to see Sam and Gabriel standing near the fridge, they all smiled and raised their mugs.

“Mornin', Sammy,” Dean chorused, resting a hand on the back of Jude's highchair, “Hope you guys are ready to open a few gifts.”

Sam and Gabriel both blinked toward their family and the group of presents on the floor before turning to share a look of genuine surprise. Those presents were for their little girl! Dean, Cas, and Bobby bought gifts for her and got up early to decorate the kitchen. It was a _baby shower_ , just like the one they had for Jude a few months ago. As Sam stared down into Gabriel's wide eyes, he could see awe and excitement blossoming across his expression. For the first time ever, it seemed like the trickster was at a loss for words. He was just as stunned as Sam was. Across the room, Cas stood up from his chair and angled it toward his pregnant brother, looking a little concerned.

“You should sit down first, brother. You look weary,” the blue-eyed angel muttered.

Sam was sure that Gabriel, in his current state of stubbornness, was going to refuse the offer. But, surprisingly, the pregnant archangel began to waddle toward the chair. Sam helped him of course, providing him with extra balance all the way there. After making sure Gabe was comfortable, Sam took a step back to look around the room again. Bobby and Dean were both sipping on their steaming mugs while the puppies played around with Dickie on the floor. All of those pink boxes, though, were what really caught Sam's attention. There were at least four or five of them all wrapped up. What was in them? Which one should be opened first? Dean seemed to have caught on to Sam's dilemma because he nudged one of the boxes with his foot.

“That one's from me,” he winked.

With the go-ahead from his older brother, Sam picked up the large box and sat in on the table in front of Gabe. The two of them shared a private exchange of smiles before tearing the pink paper away.

For the next half hour, they unwrapped their daughter's presents and spent time with their family. Dean got the baby some diapers and a car seat that looked very similar to Jude's, except that it had pink fabric instead of tan. Cas got her a highchair and lots of clothes, including a few unbelievably adorable dresses; some of which were plaid. Bobby got her a bassinet and a diaper bag, both with matching pink floral prints. After unwrapping the last gift, Gabriel sighed deeply and rubbed his stomach, looking extra pale.

“I get it. She's a girl. But does _everything_ have to be pink?” the archangel asked in a joking manner.

“What's wrong with pink? Pink is a good color,” Dean mumbled, taking another sip from his coffee.

“Thank you, guys. For everything. It really means a lot to us,” Sam said, trying to bring the focus back to the party.

All the guys gave him some subtle phrases of 'you're welcome' and 'it's no big deal.' Once everything was open, Sam shifted around some of the discarded paper around to get to a trash bag, wanting to clean up. He had to gently push some of the playing puppies out of the way in order to get it. He noticed though, as he was glancing around the floor for paper, that Dickie was gone. Sam studied the surrounding area, feeling a twinge of worry. Ever since Gabriel became pregnant, that dog never left his side. And he had been playing with the puppies earlier. Where was the little furball, now? Had he gone off to have some alone time with his stuffed moose or something? As Sam started filling up the trash bad with ripped paper, he leaned close to Gabe.

“Where did Dickie go?” he asked.

Seriousness draped over Gabe's pale face immediately, making his smile vanish and his eyes grow wide. Obviously, he hadn't noticed that Dickie was gone until now either. Gabe's head swiveled around in a panic as he searched for his dog.

“Dickie?” he called, “ _Dickie_?”

Luckily, the sound of Gabriel's voice was like a distress call to the dog. Because a few seconds later, he came running in from another room, carrying something in his mouth. Sam eyed the object as the dog blurred passed him, trying to see what the hell he was carrying. It looked kind of limp and furry like his stuffed moose, but it was white instead of brown. Dickie dashed over to Gabriel and jumped up in his vacant lap, where he dropped the object on his leg. Gabe instantly exhaled with relief.

“Don't scare me like that again, you fuzzy little prick,” Gabe grumbled, petting him, “What is this?”

Gabriel picked up the white object from his lap and turned it around to inspect it. Sam stepped closer to observe the furry thing in his boyfriend's hand, too. It appeared to be some kind of stuffed animal... with a pink nose and long floppy ears...

“It's a _rabbit_ ,” Sam exclaimed, pointing at it in shock, “ What -? How -? Where did he get that?”

Nobody answered Sam's question, because they were all too busy staring at the archangel and his dog. Tears had swelled up in Gabe's amber eyes while he cradled the little stuffed bunny in his hands. With a tiny sob, he suddenly scooped Dickie up into his arms and hugged the dog close. In turn, Dickie licked some of the tears off Gabe's cheeks while he cheerfully wagged his tail.

“You're the best doggie in whole world, Dickster,” Gabe whimpered into his fur.

Sam gulped down the small lump in his throat as he smiled. He loved watching Gabriel interact with his dog like that. And knowing that Dickie had found such a perfect gift for the baby made it all so much sweeter. Apparently, Dickie's little stunt made Dean think of something, because the older Winchester almost spit his coffee across the table.

“Oh!” Dean gasped, sitting his mug down and jumping to his feet, “I almost forgot.”

Sam tossed the bag of trash aside as he watched his older brother venture briefly into the study. Jude was trying his best to turn around in his highchair to see where his daddy went. Dean returned a second later with a big roll of paper in his hand and a huge grin on his lips.

“Let's say that this one is from Jude,” he winked.

Dean put his free hand on the back of his son's highchair as he held out the big roll of paper toward his younger brother. Sam offered the smiling baby a glance and a small ' _Thanks, Jude_ ,' before taking the paper from Dean's hand and carefully rolling it open. In the back of his mind, Sam thought that it was going to be a poster or a painting or something. But no. When Sam unrolled the paper in his hand, he was met with a blank map of America...

Moisture instantly started to build up in Sam's eyes as they flickered around the picture in his hands. It was a map; the same kind of map that Dean had been using to keep track of all Jude's milestones. Only this one was blank. This one was for Sam's little girl, who hadn't been born yet. Her map was fresh and clean, waiting patiently to be filled in with color and love.

Sam gulped hard as he raised his head to meet his brother's smiling face. The memory of talking with Dean near the back of the Impala the other day was playing in his head. Dean had remembered how much Sam loved this map idea and bought him one of his own. Admiration and joy were pumping through Sam's veins, making him feel so grateful and proud. With two giant strides, Sam walked over to wrap his older brother into a hug, blinking away some tears in the process.

“Thank you, Dean,” Sam breathed, his voice cracking a little.

“You're welcome, Sammy,” Dean replied, patting his back a few times.

Sam took a second to clear his throat and discreetly wipe away a few more tears before letting go and turning around. Of course, everyone else in the kitchen had been watching. And Gabe and Bobby both seemed a little lost because they had no idea why a blank map would make Sam so emotional. So to shift some of the attention off of himself, Sam stepped back over to Gabe and laid the roll of paper on the table amongst the load of pink stuff.

“I'll explain it later,” Sam mentioned to his pregnant archangel, who was giving him a weird look.

When he went back to picking up the discarded wrapping paper and moving some gifts around, Sam noticed that Bobby was staring hard at him. The old man was standing calmly near the counter with his coffee, now, while the three puppies played around his feet. But his eyes were empty; lost in thought. Everyone else at the table was starting to engage in a conversation about what to have for lunch, but Bobby remained distant. Hoping to find out the cause, Sam broke off from the rest of the group and strolled up to him.

“Are you okay, Bobby?” he asked quietly, not wanting anyone else to hear.

Bobby finally seemed to snap out of his daze. A stoic look of determination came over his aged face as he stole a quick glance toward everyone else at the table. Once he saw that they were all distracted, Bobby stood up and nodded toward the hallway.

“Come with me, boy,” he whispered, “I've got somethin' else for you.”

The tone of Bobby's voice was tainted with emotion, something that Sam wasn't used to hearing. The old man started off for the hall, unknowingly leading a trail of puppies along with him. Sam, not wanting to linger behind for too long, quickly raced after him, feeling curious about what that 'something else' could be. He tossed Gabriel a reassuring nod before ducking out of the kitchen.

Bobby – and his pack of rambunctious hellhounds – led the way down the hall and to the basement door, where he opened it up and turned the light on. Sam followed the old man down into his basement, breathing in the smell of dust and mold and _time_. Bobby's basement had always been full of old and interesting things; from books of lore that dated back to the fifteenth century, to guns that used to be owned by Al Capone himself. Being in Bobby's basement was more like being in a cool museum and Sam loved looking around. But it did make him kind of curious to see what Bobby had in mind for a baby shower gift.

Once they got to the bottom, Bobby instantly shuffled over to the left side of the room, where stacks of old boxes were piled up. The puppies all scattered to different parts of the room to sniff around, not seeming interested in their owner's mission. Sam edged closer to Bobby's back to look over his shoulder, seeing if he had found what he was looking for.

“Do you need any help?” Sam offered.

Bobby shook his head. The old man huffed another breath as he turned around with a particular box in his hand. It looked to be roughly thirty years old, covered in dust and cobwebs. Sam had no idea what was in it, but by the expression of harbored pain on Bobby's face, he knew that it was very personal.

After dusting off the lid and taking a bracing breath, Bobby opened the box and folded back the tissue paper inside, revealing a baby blanket. Sam stepped closer in the dimly-lit basement to get a better look. Going by the wide stitch work, the blanket appeared to be handmade. The majority of it was made of pink, yellow, and white patches of fabric, and the border was made of rosy silk. It looked brand new. There wasn't a single smudge or stain anywhere. A smile spread across Sam's lips as he reached out to touch the cool blanket. It was soft like cotton and smelled faintly of old perfume. Why did Bobby have a blanket like this in his basement? Was he hiding it or something?

“Where did you get this, Bobby?” Sam asked.

He didn't miss that Bobby's throat quivered with a gulp. The old man tilted his head down, briefly blocking his face from view with the bill of his hat.

“I bought it a long time ago... For my little girl...”

Sam's heart dropped instantly. He knew that Bobby's wife had been pregnant when she died. He even knew that Karen had been near the end of her second trimester when she met her untimely end. But, in all his years of knowing Bobby, Sam had no idea that his child had been a girl. Sam just assumed that it had been too early for them to tell what the gender of their baby was. Why didn't Bobby ever tell Sam and Dean that his child was a girl? Sam's eyes traveled back to the handmade blanket in the box and his heart sank even lower. Poor Bobby. He never got to give his daughter any gifts...

“I ordered this blanket the day before... _it_ happened,” the old man mumbled, obviously referring to Karen's death, “but it didn't get delivered to my house until a week later. Damn near killed me when I opened the box. Didn't know what to do with it after that, so I just wrapped it up and stowed it away down here. I was fixin' to forget all about it... But, now, I guess it has a purpose again.”

Bobby held the box out toward Sam and finally raised his head, revealing a tender smile and glistening eyes. Sam could feel his own heart throbbing in his chest and tears swelling in his eyes. He couldn't believe that Bobby was giving him such a precious gift for his _own_ unborn daughter. It was too meaningful; too important.

“Are you sure?” Sam asked, hearing his voice crack the tiniest bit.

“Yeah I'm sure, kid. Take it,” Bobby nodded.

After giving the old man a heartfelt smile, Sam reached into the box and picked up the blanket. It was small, just big enough for a baby to use, and still smelled of laundry detergent. Sam held the folded fabric close, before stepping forward to wrap Bobby into a tight hug. A few tears escaped the corners of Sam's eyes as he clung to his father figure. He wished that he could tell Bobby just how much this meant to him and how much it would mean to his daughter too, but he couldn't find the right words to say. He just hugged him tighter instead, hoping that it would be enough.

“Thank you, Bobby,” Sam breathed.

The old man pulled back a little bit in order to give Sam a warm smile and pat him on the shoulder.

“You're welcome, Sam.... Oh, and, by the way,” Bobby said lifting an eyebrow and lowering his tone with a grin, “The next time you and blondie plan on floodin' my bathroom, be sure to put the mop back where you found it and hang the rug up to dry.”

Sam let out a chuckle as he felt his face fill up with heat. Nothing escaped Bobby's mindful notice. _Nothing_. Sammy hugged the baby blanket close to his chest as he smiled and forced a nod.

“You've got it,” he promised.

* * *

Gabriel fiddled with the soft ears on the stuffed bunny in his hands, blinking slowly down at its cute little button eyes. The plush animal was propped up on his glowing stomach as he relaxed on Singer's couch. Gabe didn't know where or how his dog found this little rabbit, but he was glad that he did. Because the rabbit _inside_ his stomach was bound to fall in love with it.

“You made out like a fat rat today, honeydew,” the archangel hummed to his stomach, tapping the tight skin, “Got loads of pretty stuff. You excited to come out and see it all?”

The baby had been moving around all afternoon, so it was difficult to tell if she had heard him or not. Gabe had a feeling that she couldn't get comfortable because she was running out of wiggle room. His compact grace didn't give her much free range to move her growing arms and legs. Plus, that stupid feeling of tiredness was back at full power; the same one that made his thoughts all fuzzy and his body feel feeble. _Weariness_ , Castiel called it. But Gabriel was determined to ignore his vessel's urge to sleep. He didn't need sleep. Sleep was for the weak...

“Hey, Gabe.”

Gabriel lifted his heavy head to look toward the sound of Sam's mellow voice. The kid was standing in the doorway, holding a blanket in one hand and a small book in the other. Gabe blinked at him slowly, wondering where he had been for the last twenty minutes. A look of concern came back across Sam's face, making his lips purse and his dimples look extra cute.

“Still refusing to sleep, huh?” the ridiculously tall man mentioned, strolling up to the couch.

“I don't need sleep. I'm fine,” Gabriel grumbled back, eying the book in his hand, “What's that?”

Sam laid the pink and yellow blanket on the arm of the couch as he knelt down on the floor. He deliberately forced Gabriel's knees apart and slid between them, maneuvering his top half close to Gabe's round stomach. Gabe didn't really have a choice but to let him do it. He was too weak to stop him at the moment. Over the giant glowing mound of Gabriel's belly, Sam held up the orange book and smiled.

“It's 'Green Eggs and Ham' by Dr. Seuss,” he explained, “Dean used to read it to me when we were little kids. Bobby had this copy in his basement and I thought that I might read it to the baby... If that's okay?”

Sam had probably tacked on that last bit because Gabriel's eyes were watering. The archangel couldn't help it. The thought of Sam reading out loud to their unborn daughter was the sweetest thing in the world. And being tired made it harder to control his emotions.

“Of course, kiddo. Read away,” Gabe urged.

With a fresh smile, Sam opened up the book and flipped to the first page. In the meantime, Gabriel propped his feet up on the coffee table behind Sam and reached over to run his fingers through his dog's soft fur. Dickie was snoozing next to him on the couch with his head tucked into his owner's lap. Sam cleared his throat and circled a long arm around Gabe's stomach, letting his fingers play with the buttons on Gabe's shirt as he started to read out loud.

“I am Sam. Sam I am,” he began in a soothing tone, glancing toward the next page, “That Sam-I-am, that Sam-I-am. I do not like that Sam-I-am.”

Even though he was trying his best to listen – and even though he was _determined beyond any doubt_ to stay awake – Gabriel was overcome by his exhaustion. The sound of Sam's deep, velvety voice was so calming and lovely that his eyes shut on the spot. Gabe was already slumping against the back of the couch as he listened, feeling Sam's gentle breath brushing against the tight skin of his stomach as he spoke.

“Do you like green eggs and ham?” Sam's voice continued to read.

Gabriel was slipping further and further into unconsciousness. He couldn't help it. He couldn't fight it anymore. Hell, he didn't even want to fight it. Falling asleep inside Sam's arms felt so good...

“I do not like them, Sam-I-am. I do not like green eggs and ham,” Sam whispered...

_Before Gabriel knew it, he was sitting at a table in a fancy restaurant. The whole table was set with a shiny silverware, crystal glasses,and white plates. It was the type of place where culinary excellence flourished; where caviar and expensive champagne would be served. It was a five-star restaurant where people wore formal clothing and kept their elbows off the table when they ate. This was a very upstanding place to eat some very nice food..._

_But the only thing on Gabriel's plate was green-colored eggs with a side of ham._

_The food, of course, didn't seem very appetizing – or safe to eat – so the archangel looked around the table to see what else he could get his hands on. He was hoping to find some different food, maybe a carrot or some salad because he was feeling kind of hungry. But when he looked up, Gabriel realized that he wasn't alone at the table._

_Sam was there too, all dressed up like a shiny new penny. His long hair was slicked back and he was wearing a really nice suit and tie with silver cufflinks. Ugh, he looked so sexy; like a handsome model that had just stepped off the runway to have dinner. The suave kid was reading out loud from his menu to the person next to him, who Gabriel had a hard time seeing in the dimly lit room. Who was sitting next to Sam? Who had come to dinner with them? And why couldn't they read the menu for themselves? Gabe leaned forward to get a better look – and recognized the person instantly._

_It was her. It was Jessica. It was Sam's old girlfriend, back from the dead again._

_She was dressed up too, with a low-cut top, perfect makeup, and flashy jewelry. And she was smiling and giggling along with Sam, touching his shoulder playfully and fanning her long blonde hair back in a flirty way. Ugh! Why was she here?! Who invited her?! Sam and Gabriel were supposed to be having a nice date alone, weren't they?_

_Gabe's sight traveled back over to Sam, who was laughing and beaming with joy. He obviously loved hanging out with his old girlfriend... but the thought broke Gabriel's heart. No, no, no. It wasn't supposed to be this way! It was Gabriel's job to make Sam laugh! Not her's! It was Gabriel's job to flirt with him, and kiss him, and love him the way he deserved to be loved. Not Jessica's! Sam didn't belong to her anymore! He belonged to Gabriel!_

_Sick of Jessica hogging all of Sam's attention, Gabriel shifted around in his seat, preparing to get up and physically shove her from the table. But when he tried to move, Gabe found that his muscles were too weak. His stomach was huge and glowing under the table, preventing him from standing up. He was still heavily pregnant with his daughter and couldn't climb to his feet without assistance._

_Gabriel looked up again, planning to shout at them instead – but found that Sam and Jessica were gone. Both of them had vanished in the small amount of time that Gabriel was distracted, leaving him alone at the table. He searched the whole fancy dinning room from his seat, trying to see where they went._

“ _Sam?” he called, feeling panic creeping into his chest, “Sammy?”_

_During the frantic search to find his boyfriend, Gabriel noticed that the food on his plate had changed. The green eggs and ham had been replaced with a small pile of watermelon seeds. The little black dots were peppered all over the white plate – and were starting to_ multiply _. One popped into two, two popped into four, four popped into eight. The growing mountain of seeds was suddenly tumbling off the plate and spilling onto the table, engulfing the fancy dinnerware beneath it. And for the first time in his life, Gabriel actually felt afraid. He was alone. Sam had abandoned him to be with Jessica again. And now he was about to be swallowed up by the very thing that he hated the most!_ Seeds!

“ _Sam! Help!” Gabriel cried, cradling his pregnant stomach as the growing mass of seeds inched closer and closer, “Sam! Sam!”_

Gabriel sucked in a huge gasp of air as he felt his shoulders being shaken hard. The archangel panted and blinked his eyes open, instantly searching around for the mountain of seeds that was about to devour him. His blurry sight eventually focused in the scene before his eyes and Sam's familiar face came into view. The kid was hovering over him in a horizontal position as if the two of them were laying down.

“Gabriel, I'm right here,” he assured, sounding worried, “Take a breath. It's okay.”

The giant storm of emotion raging in his body was too much for Gabriel to handle. The moment that he realized he was laying in bed with Sam – and that everything in the fancy restaurant was all just a dream – Gabriel let out a broken sob and covered his face with both hands. This was bullshit! Total bullshit! Why did being human had to be so damn hard?! Why did it have to be so scary, and sad, and difficult?! Why did it have to _suck_?!

“Did you have another nightmare? Are you in pain?” Sam asked, tugging on Gabe's arm.

Gabriel didn't know how to respond to Sam. The archangel was still shivering in terror, for Dad's sake. How was he supposed to put everything that he was feeling into words? And even if he did somehow manage to do it, would Sam understand? Would it devastate him to know that Gabe was having nightmares about his old girlfriend? Gabriel lowered his hands to look at Sam's face again through the blur of tears. The kid looked so hopeful. So ready to listen.

“Gabe, please talk to me,” Sam insisted, putting on those famous puppy-dog eyes, “I want to help you.”

Gabriel took another breath and dropped his hands completely. There was no use in fighting it anymore. He couldn't keep all these feelings bottled up. Maybe sharing them with Sam might actually help...

“Okay,” the archangel squeaked.

Gabe used his shaky arms and legs to pull himself up into a sitting position, being mindful of the tiny baby curled up inside his grace. Sam immediately helped him, maneuvering some pillows around and adjusting the blankets to help him slide up. Afterward, the kid crawled over to face him, crossing both legs and reaching out to take Gabriel's hands. Sam's eyes – which held emerald and bits of copper – were wide open and full of sympathy. Gabriel took a moment to gather his words, secretly using the thought of his unborn daughter to gather up some courage. ' _It'll be okay, Papa_ ,' he imagined her saying, ' _Daddy will understand..._ '

“Listen, Sam,” Gabriel sniffed, unable to look directly into his eyes, “For the past few days – well, more like ever since I met you, but for the past few days in particular – I've been feeling kind of upset about... Jessica.”

“Jessica?” Sam repeated, sounding lost.

The kid's face scrunched up like he was really confused, but his hands stayed tight around Gabe's. Gabriel gulped and nodded, feeling terrible. He knew that talking about her always made Sam feel bad and he hated making Sam feel bad.

“Look, I know you hate talking about her because you miss her so much,” Gabriel mumbled, hanging his head, “and I know that she was the love of your life, and that she meant everything to you. So, I guess I feel bad because I can't exactly fill her high-heel shoes -”

“What?” Sam blurted in bewilderment, “Gabe, what are you talking about? Jessica didn't mean _everything_ to me.”

“Oh, don't give me that load of horse crap, Sam,” Gabriel mumbled, finally lifting his glistening eyes to meet Sam's, “Every time someone mentions her name, you get this sad look on your face. You _loved_ her. You were going to _marry_ her!”

“Gabriel, that was _years_ ago. I was in _college_. I didn't know anything about love back then. I was just a teenager fresh out of high school,” Sam pointed out, wearing an exasperated smile.

Even though his words were probably meant to make Gabe feel better, they didn't. Gabriel was sure that part of Sam still adored that blonde girl that sat next to him in biology. He just wouldn't admit it. After a long moment of silence, Sam exhaled, let go of Gabriel's hand, and reached up to run his long fingers through the archangel's hair. Tingles raced down Gabe's back and his eyes instantly flitted up to meet Sam's again. The moose was staring at him with a soft smile, looking painfully handsome.

“Gabe. Do you know why I get that sad look on my face whenever somebody mentions Jessica's name?” he asked quietly.

Gabriel thought about bringing up the whole 'burning on the ceiling' thing, but settled for shaking his head instead. The soft smile on Sam's pink lips spread a little wider.

“It's because I never loved her the way I love you,” he whispered.

Gabriel swallowed hard.

“Huh?” he breathed, feeling stunned.

“Try not to get a big head when I say this,” Sam started with a grin, “but you are the greatest thing that has ever happened to me, Gabe. I seriously don't know what I would do without you. When I'm with you, I feel like a little kid in a candy store. All I do is smile and laugh and _feel good_. No one else has ever made me happier than you have, and that includes Jessica. Thinking about her just makes me feel guilty because I never felt that way about her.”

Fresh tears were swelling up in Gabe's eyes as he clung to Sam's hand with quivering fingers.

“R – Really?” he whimpered.

“Yes,” Sam nodded, “Gabriel, I love you. More than I have loved anyone else in my entire life. Please don't ever feel like you need to compete with anyone for me, because you've already won by a long shot. I'm pretty sure my heart belonged to you before we ever met. You're my soul mate, Gabe. And our _daughter_ ,” he said, pausing to touch the archangel's stomach, “is living proof of that.”

An audible whimper squeaked out of Gabriel's trembling lips as he stared at the pure honesty beaming in Sam's eyes. All this time, Gabe had been so jealous of Jessica being Sam's first love that he didn't stop to realize that he was going to be Sam's _last_ love; the one Sam was going to love for the rest of his life. Sam and Gabriel were _soul mates_. The kid said so himself!

In a flash of raw emotion, Gabriel grabbed the front of Sammy's shirt and yanked him forward to smash their lips together. Relief and joy and love were all swirling in his chest, chasing away all the bad feelings from his dream. The seed of jealousy and bitterness was finally uprooted from his heart and dissolved by Sam's loving words. Everything was all better, now. Gabriel didn't have to worry about anyone taking Sam away. The two of them carefully slid back into bed with their lips connected and arms circled around each other. After kissing Sam for a little while longer, Gabriel pulled away to voice some of his thoughts.

“We really are soul mates, Sam,” he agreed, smiling for the first time in a long time, “You complete me. You're the peanut butter to my jelly. The chocolate to my chip. The -”

“Moose to your candyman?” Sam finished with a smirk.

Gabriel stifled a laugh.

“Exactly,” he nodded.

“Then, what does that make our little girl?” Sam asked, reaching down to touch Gabriel's stomach.

The archangel peered down at his own glowing belly with a softer smile. He slid both hands down to cradle each side, feeling the warmth and love surrounding their baby.

“It makes her perfect,” Gabe answered.

Inside his grace, the tiny baby gently shifted around under their palms. Although Gabriel couldn't tell for sure, he was convinced that their daughter had heard every word and that she completely agreed with it all.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Wow. This chapter was emotional, huh? :) Dickie is pretty much a connoisseur of stuffed animals, which is why I had him get the stuffed rabbit. (Before you ask; no. he didn't do anything to it. Although Sam and Gabe will probably wash it anyway, just to be safe.) ;) Yep. Bobby's wife Karen – who I said was pregnant in this universe, back in 'Purpose' – was gonna have a girl. Bobby's daughter would have been the same age as Sam and Dean by now, if she had been born. (Poor thing.) Sam wanted to read 'Green Eggs and Ham' for the baby and for Gabriel, because he was deliberately trying to put Gabe to sleep. And it worked like a charm. ;) Gabriel's nightmare was pretty rough, but at least he knows how much Sam loves him, now. :) I hope you guys liked this chapter. Thank you so much for reading!


	10. Chapter 10

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I just want to warn you all that this chapter has a pretty big cliffhanger. Plus a good chunk of feels and angst as well. Good luck! ;)

It wasn't long after Sam and Gabriel's late-night discussion about love that Gabe fell back asleep. Sam could tell that all the physical and emotional stress of being pregnant had taken its tole on Gabe's poor body and that the guy was too exhausted to hold his own eyes open. As he watched Gabe drift off to sleep for the second time, Sam made a secret vow with himself to stay awake and watch over Gabe just in case he had another bad dream. For the next two or three hours, Sam sat up next to his pregnant boyfriend and stared at him while he slept, watching his chest rise and fall with his steady breathing and his glowing stomach shine brighter. He didn't mind forcing himself to stay awake. Watching Gabriel sleep was a rare sight and he felt privileged just to witness it.

Dickie eventually stepped over and curled up into a ball in Sam's lap. The man pet the dog in front of him as he let his mind wander back to his earlier conversation with Gabe. Sam had no idea that Gabriel had been jealous of Jessica. Quite frankly, Sam didn't even know that Gabriel knew who Jessica was, let alone that Sam had planned to marry her. But Sam was completely honest when he told Gabe how he felt. Thinking of Jessica really _did_ make him feel guilty, for lots of reasons. The main one being that she died because of her connection to him. Anyone who was brave enough to get close to Sam ended up dying somehow and she was no exception.

But that was all in the past, now. A bright, sunny future was staring Sam right in the face. His child was literally growing before his eyes, hidden just inside Gabe's stomach. A few times throughout the night, Sam touched Gabe's belly and whispered things like ' _Daddy loves you, little rabbit_ ,' and ' _I can't wait to hold you._ ' The baby moved against his palm each time, making it seem like hearing his voice made her excited. Man, Sam could hardly wait to meet her in person. He just knew that she was going to be the most beautiful little girl the world, complete with Gabriel's cute smile and sparkly eyes. And judging by how much she moved around inside the womb, she would probably turn out to be energetic, too. A genuine tornado of cuteness...

Luckily, Gabriel slept peacefully through the rest of the night. He shifted around every once and a while, tossing a hand here or bending a leg there. When he finally yawned and opened his eyes again, it was nearly six o'clock in the morning. Sam smiled a little bit at the familiar sight of Gabriel's golden eyes.

“Good morning, Papa,” he hummed, reaching over to rake some of Gabe's blonde hair out of his face, “How do you feel?”

The archangel stretched against the bed as he looked up at Sam in confusion.

“I feel... weird,” he answered, scrunching his face.

Gabe didn't elaborate on his statement, which left Sam staring at him for more information.

“Because?” he eventually prompted.

“Because I think I had a dream about Oompa Loompas,” Gabe answered, “You know, the little orange and green guys? They were huddled together... And they... they were doing unspeakable acts to each other...”

Gabriel physically shuddered, making the bed shake. Sam, on the other hand, laughed out loud. Oompa Loompas doing sexual things to each other? Man, archangels had the craziest dreams...

“Well, apart from _that_ bizarre experience, how are you? Does your back hurt? Are you hungry? Is the baby okay? How far along are you this morning?”

“Geez, what is this? Twenty questions?” Gabe smiled, rocking back and forth to sit up, “The rabbit and I are good, Sammy. She feels pretty big. We're probably at the start of the third trimester. Just a few more days and this egg will be ready to hatch.”

“Hatch?” Sam repeated with a gulp, “That reminds me. How exactly are you going to give birth, Gabe?”

Gabe took a second to take a few breaths because struggling to sit up had used up a lot of his energy. Both of his hands slid up to cup his stomach before he answered.

“I'm hoping that Cas will help me deliver her. I mean, at this point, the guy is way more experienced with this stuff than I am. He delivered Jude all by himself. Pretty sure he can cut her out, too,” Gabe mumbled.

“ _Cut her out?_ You mean, with an angel blade?” Sam breathed.

The thought of that chrome blade slicing into Gabriel's skin made Sam cringe. He didn't want that weapon to come anywhere near his archangel _or_ their child. Gabriel must have seen the horror on Sam's face because he reached over to pat the man's shoulder with affection.

“Oh, don't worry, lil' moose. I'll be fine,” he assured, “Castiel carved himself up pretty good and he's still alive and kicking. Besides, we won't have to worry about it for a few more days. Our little rabbit still has some growing to do. Can you help me up? She wants more food.”

Although he was tempted to start fretting over how his child would come into the world, Sam forced himself to drop it. Gabriel was right. They still had a few days to figure things out. Sam quickly and carefully got off the bed and came around to help Gabe to his feet, followed closely by Dickie, who was watchful of his owner. Sam noticed, as Gabriel moved around, that all of the archangel's shininess was centered around his stomach. His skin wasn't glowing at all, anymore. His belly was the only part of him that had any light. Gabe's short legs visibly wobbled as he struggled to stand up and a grunting sound slipped from between his lips. Once he was standing on shaky feet, Gabe clung to Sam as if he was a life raft, holding onto the man with both arms while he breathed harshly.

“I... used to be able to fly, and now... I can't even stand up,” he sighed, out of breath.

Sam pressed a kiss to the top of Gabe's golden head as he started to cart him toward the door.

“You're so cute when you're helpless,” he whispered with a grin.

“Eat a dick, Samsquatch,” Gabriel grumbled back.

A tiny bark came from the floor at their feet. Apparently, Dickie thought that Gabriel had said his name. Sam laughed again, but Gabriel rolled his amber eyes.

“I wasn't talking about you, Dickster,” he promised.

The three of them edged out into the hallway before starting the journey to the kitchen. Sam made sure to go extra slow for Gabe, noticing that the guy was breathing pretty hard and waddling strangely as if his back hurt. Sam wished that he could take some of the pain onto himself; that he could somehow help Gabriel carry their baby. But the only thing he could do was offer him some balance and support. And all the carrots he could find.

When they got close enough to the doorway, Sam and Gabriel could both hear Bobby talking quietly in the kitchen. At first, Sam thought that the guy was mumbling to himself because no one was replying to him. But then he heard the words ' _sit_ ' and ' _stay_ ,' and Sam realized that Bobby must have been talking to the puppies. Sam and Gabe shared a brief glance of amusement before popping their heads into the kitchen to see what was going on.

By some miracle, Bobby had all three hellhound puppies lined up at the stove. Their little black and white tails were whipping back and forth as they stared up at him from the floor with red eyes. Each one had a small empty bowl in front of them and Bobby was holding a plate of raw meat, seeming prepared to fill their bowls, but waiting for them to obey his commands first.

“Stay,” he repeated, slowly kneeling down on the floor, “Stay. Back up, Pete.”

Peter, the little puppy on the end, did as he was told. He took a small step back to get into formation. All three of them were whimpering a little bit, seeming hungry and excited. Sam watched Bobby fill all the bowls with red meat, feeling kind of shocked. The little dogs watched their master fill their bowls but they never moved. They remained seated by the stove, patiently waiting for him to finish. Once the last bit of meat was served, Bobby stood back up and heaved a sigh.

“Okay. Eat,” the old man allowed.

All three puppies bolted straight for their bowls and dove right in – except for Humphrey, who stumbled over his own paws on the way and had to catch up. Sam was at a total loss for words. How the hell did Bobby train those puppies so fast? Maybe it had something to do with the fact that they were half hellhound. Maybe hellhounds were made to serve their masters' every command or something. Even from the doorway, Sam could see a tiny smile hidden inside Bobby's beard as he watched the puppies chow down. The old man was clearly proud of himself. _And_ his rabble of adorable pups...

“Somebody call Cesar Millan. There's a new dog whisperer in town,” Gabriel sang.

Bobby looked up to see Sam and Gabriel standing in the doorway and his smile turned into a blush of embarrassment. He spun toward the counter to put his empty plate in the sink, hiding his red face from view.

“I ain't no dog whisperer,” he mumbled, “They just need a stern voice is all.”

Sam helped Gabriel enter the room, where they both leaned up against the far wall to watch the puppies eat. The three furballs were basically attacking their food, acting like they were starving. Sam eyed the red contents in their bowls with apprehension though, feeling a little worried.

“Raw meat? Isn't that a little harsh for a puppy's stomach?” Sam asked.

“It's the only thing they'll eat. I figure it's 'cause they're part demon,” Bobby replied, glancing up to narrow his eyes at Gabriel, “You alright, blondie? Yer lookin' _pale_.”

Sam glanced down at Gabriel beside him and realized that he _did_ look pale. The morning light of the kitchen made it clear to see. His golden eyes were slightly sunken back, his lips looked chapped, and he was a ghostly shade of white. Gabriel looked _drained_ in every sense of the word. Even though everyone else was concerned, Gabe shrugged it off like it was nothing.

“I'm okay,” he replied casually.

Sam's worry spiked. Gabriel was definitely _not_ okay. The guy looked like something that would pop out of a haunted house. Why was Gabe acting so coy about his own well-being when he literally looked like a ghost?

“You should sit down, Gabe,” Sam suggested, trying to pull him toward the table.

“No thanks, moose,” the archangel denied, clinging to the wall, “It was hard enough just to get up this morning. I want to stand for a while.”

Although Sam felt like going on a long rant about why it was better for a pregnant person to stay off of their feet and remain comfortable, he swallowed his argument. It was hard to fight with Gabriel when he looked so weak and frail. Maybe someone else could talk some sense into him.

“Where is Cas?” Sam asked, looking up at Bobby.

The old man was in the middle of washing his hands at the sink, but he paused to toss a reply over his shoulder.

“He and Dean took the baby out for breakfast. Said they'd be back in a few hours.”

Sam sighed in defeat. He really hoped that Cas would be able to convince Gabe to take it easy and get some more rest, but it looked like that idea was a bust. The only thing Sam could do was honor his pregnant boyfriend's wishes to stay standing. He leaned back over to offer Gabe his arm, which Gabriel clung to instantly. Bobby wiped his hands on a dish towel as he turned around to face them again.

“After the three stooges eat,” he said, nodding toward the puppies, “I'm gonna head down and work on some stuff in the basement. Help yourself to anything in the kitchen. Just be sure to clean up your mess.”

“Will do, old timer,” Gabe agreed, giving a small salute.

Bobby scoffed at the name Gabriel gave him as he tossed the dish towel onto the counter. One by one, the puppies on the floor started to lick their bowls clean and wander back over to Bobby's feet. Willy first, then Peter and Humphrey. They all crowed around their owner and stared up at him like they were waiting for their next command. Sam didn't miss that a smile returned to Bobby's face.

“Come on, ya crazy varmints,” he called, starting off for the hallway.

Sam and Gabriel both smiled as they watched Bobby lead his little pack out of the room. Once the last swishing tail disappeared down the hallway, Gabriel gave Sam a weak smile.

“Aw. They're growing on him,” the archangel mumbled.

Looking at the dark circles around Gabe's eyes made Sam feel terrible. Wasn't there anything that he could say or do that would change Gabriel's mind about sitting down? Gabe must have been able to see the worry lingering in Sam's stare because the archangel shifted around awkwardly and cleared his throat.

“I want to take Dickie for a walk,” Gabe announced, carefully standing up from the wall, “What do you say, moose? Want to do a few laps around Singer's junkyard with me?”

Sam didn't know what to say. Gabriel was roughly seven months pregnant with their child – baring twice the weight and emotion that he was used to – and he wanted to go for _a walk_? Wouldn't that make his ankles swell up? Wouldn't that make his back hurt even more? As much as Sam wanted to refuse his boyfriend's request and force him to sit down, the man huffed a breath of defeat. Dammit. He couldn't possibly say no to Gabriel when those golden eyes were piercing into him like that.

“Fine. We'll take a ten minute walk. But then, you're coming back in here to take a nap. Okay?” Sam compromised.

“Whatever you say, boss man,” Gabriel agreed, taking him by the arm, “C'mon, Dickie. Let's go waddle around.”

The little dog happily pranced up beside Sam and Gabe as they made their way out Bobby's backdoor. Outside, the air was still crisp in the early hours of the morning. The sun was cresting over the horizon, making dew glisten on the cracked and broken windshields of all the cars in the lot. Bobby's salvage yard was quiet and still with the exception of a few chirping birds and Dickie's wandering steps. The three of them edged down the path between a stack of mangled vehicles, heading in no particular direction.

Sam made sure to walk slow for Gabriel's sake, wanting to keep him as comfortable as possible. There was no sense in hurrying anyway, especially while the cool fresh air smelled so good. Gabe held on to Sam's bicep with one hand and his own protruding stomach with the other. The guy was still wearing Sam's plaid shirt, but the last four buttons were undone, letting his shiny belly peek out from beyond the fabric.

“Ahh. This is nice,” Gabriel mused quietly, starting to sound out of breath again, “You, me, the dog, the baby... all walking around like real a family... I like it... You like it, Sammy?”

“I would like it a lot better if you didn't look so tired,” Sam admitted, “Maybe we should go back in and -”

“ _Look!_ ” Gabe interrupted with a gasp.

The archangel pointed toward the left down another massive aisle of stacked cars. Sam snapped into hunter mode, zeroing his sight in on the area to search for something that might have moved or something. But nothing was out of the ordinary.

“What?” he asked, secretly prepared to engage in a fight if necessary.

“Look at those flowers,” Gabe cooed, tilting his head with a smile, “Aww, aren't they sweet?”

Sam looked back at the area Gabe had pointed to and finally found what he was talking about. There were a small bundle of wild daisies growing near the chain link fence around Bobby's cars. They were at least five yards away, swaying around in the soft breeze with their white petals shimmering in the sun. Gabe tugged a little on Sam's arm, regaining his attention.

“We should pick them for our rabbit,” he whispered, giving a wink.

A smile inched across Sam's lips. Picking flowers for their daughter sounded like such a nice gesture. Maybe they could stick them in a cup of water and put them next to her bassinet, so that she could see them after she was born. The sheer amount of persuasion in Gabriel's eyes was enough to convince Sam that they had to do it.

“Alright. But you stay here. I don't want you overexerting yourself,” Sam explained, leaning Gabriel up against a stack of cars.

“Okay,” Gabriel huffed, “Make sure you get them all, Sammy.”

Sam pecked a quick kiss to the top of Gabe's warm head before turning to make his way across the salvage yard. The closer he got to the flowers, the more beautiful they looked. The white petals were still clinging to the morning dew and the yellow irises looked whole and soft. Once he got to them, Sam knelt down and started plucking them up one by one. Man, Gabe was right. Their rabbit was going to love this little taste of the outdoors... Just as Sam was about to pick the last daisy, though, Dickie started barking erratically. Sam instantly spun around to face the direction he came from to see why the dog was freaking out and if Gabe was okay.

But Gabriel wasn't standing there anymore. He was lying on the ground.

Panic flashed through Sam like a strike of lightening. He dropped everything and scrambled to his feet to run back to the stack of cars. Dickie was dashing around and barking frantically at his owner, but Gabe wasn't moving. He was sprawled out on his back as if he had fallen over. Sam dove onto the ground and instantly scooped Gabriel's head into his hands. The archangel's eyes were closed and his pale mouth was partly open. What the hell happened?! Did he faint or something?!

“Gabe! Gabriel!” Sam shouted, lightly tapping his cheeks, “Hey! Open your eyes, Gabe! Look at me!”

No matter how loud Sam yelled or how hard he shook Gabe's shoulders, Gabriel remained unresponsive. Adrenaline was pumping through Sam's veins as he stared down at the motionless archangel in his arms. Oh God, Gabe wasn't waking up! What was wrong? Sam quickly leaned down to press his ear to the cavity of Gabriel's chest. Although Dickie was still barking and whining nearby, Sam was able to hear a faint _thump-thump_. Gabe's heart was still beating. His lungs were still working. He was still alive. But his eyes refused to open.

Sam briefly caught sight of Gabriel's glowing stomach again and his panic intensified. Oh no, what if this had something to do with the baby? What if she was being affected by this, too? What if they were _both_ in danger? Sam needed to do something! _Fast!_

Once again, Sam's hunter mode was activated. He forced himself to delay his own panic and find a solution to this problem. The first thing he needed to do was get Gabriel off the wet ground. The dew had soaked into his clothes and was turning his pale skin cold. Sam searched his surroundings for a place where he could comfortably lay his archangel and saw that Bobby's garage door was open. He knew that there was a clear workbench inside that building and Gabe's small frame would probably fit on top.

Although his own heart was racing with fear, Sam quickly and gingerly scooped Gabriel up into his arms. The archangel was, of course, a little heavier than he remembered, but he didn't struggle with the added weight at all. Fear and adrenaline were aiding his muscles. Gabe remained limp in Sam's arms even as the man shuffled quickly toward the garage a few feet away. In the meantime, Sam was racking his brain; thinking about what to do next. He had no idea what was going on with Gabe. He needed someone else. Someone with more age and experience.

“Bobby!” Sam shouted, “Help!”

It wasn't until the words were already out of his mouth that Sam remembered Bobby was all the way in the basement. The old man wouldn't be able to hear Sam no matter how loud he yelled. Once he was close enough, Sam kicked the garage door open further and quickly slid inside. He raced over and gently laid Gabriel on top of Bobby's workbench in the middle of the room, where Dickie whined and jumped up and down on the floor. Once Gabe was flat on his back, Sam shook the archangel's shoulders again, hoping and praying that he would open his eyes.

“Gabriel, _please_ ,” he croaked.

Still, the pregnant archangel didn't move a muscle. Deep down, Sam knew that he didn't have the power to help Gabe right now. Gabriel needed the kind of help that transcended human limitations. Help that only another angel could provide.

“ _Castiel_ ,” Sam blurted, glancing toward the ceiling, “Cas, something is wrong with Gabriel! Please help!”

A few agonizing seconds ticked by before Sam felt a small breeze whoosh through the room. Cas appeared near the garage door with a rubber spoon in his hand. He had obviously been in the middle of feeding his son breakfast when he flew to Sam and Gabe. The blue-eyed angel tossed the spoon away and dashed over to the workbench, where he immediately began to look over his angelic brother.

“How long has he been unconscious?” Cas asked, sounding concerned.

“Uh, a minute. M – maybe two,” Sam answered.

Cas placed his hand on top of Gabriel's chest for a moment before moving it down to cradle Gabe's glowing stomach. It seemed like Cas was _feeling_ for something, using an unseen force to indicate the problem. Sam watched him do it, holding onto Gabriel's small cold hand. When Cas felt around Gabe's stomach, he closed his eyes and a look of concentration came over his features.

“I feared this would happen,” Cas uttered under his breath.

“Feared what would happen?!” Sam asked, acutely worried.

Castiel ignored Sam's question for a moment. The angel softly prodded his fingers against Gabe's glowing stomach instead, seeming to be feeling for the baby inside. Cas's face tightened and he huffed a small breath. His blue eyes eventually opened again and he raised his head to look at Sam.

“We need to deliver the baby now,” he stated.

Sam's mouth tumbled open and he could feel the blood drain from his own cheeks. _What?!_ Deliver the baby _now_?! But she wasn't finished growing! She wasn't ready to come out yet! Gabe said she was only seven months along.

“It's – It's only been a few days,” Sam squeaked.

“Both of their heart rates are faltering,” Cas explained, rounding the bench, “Gabriel's grace has weakened to the point that it can no longer support the baby and keep him alive too. If they remain inside the same vessel for much longer, Gabriel's grace will breakdown completely and they will both die.”

Cas might as well have stabbed Sam in the heart. _No!_ He didn't want _either_ of them to die! He wanted them both to _live_! Sam's fingers began to tremble around Gabriel's hand as he stared wide-eyed at the angel in front of him.

“S – So, if we take her out now, they'll both be okay?” he asked.

Even in the dim light of Bobby's garage, Sam could see Cas's face turn pale. The angel's throat quivered with a gulp as he glanced briefly at his unconscious brother on the table next to him.

“I don't know,” Cas breathed sincerely, “but if we don't do this now, their hearts will eventually stop beating.”

Cas reached out to grasp Sam's shoulder and look him dead in the eye. His blue eyes were filled with sympathy and regret, and the intensity of his stare made Sam feel queasy.

“I'm leaving the choice with you, Sam. What do you want me to do?” Cas asked.

It felt like the weight of the entire universe was suddenly resting square on Sam's shoulders. The lives of the two people he loved most were in danger and Cas was putting the decision on how to save them into his hands. He only had two options. Either let Cas cut the baby out now, which would virtually save her and put Gabriel's life at risk, or let her stay inside Gabriel's grace, which would put _both of their lives_ at risk. The clock was ticking and Sam knew he only had a few solid seconds to make this decision, but that didn't make it any easier. His eyes flashed back and forth between Gabriel's pale face and the bright glowing stomach beside him. What should he do? What would _Gabriel_ have him do? Sam gripped the archangel's cold hand even tighter before bringing his wide eyes back to Cas.

“Do it,” he agreed.

Cas gave a single firm nod to show his acceptance. As soon as he received permission, the angel reached over to rip Gabriel's shirt the rest of the way open. Gabe remained lifeless on the table as his brother prodded his stomach again, feeling for the baby. Dickie was still whining loudly on the floor and pawing desperately at Sam's leg while Cas worked in front of them. Sam gulped as he saw the flicker of a chrome angel blade slide out from under Cas's sleeve and into his palm. Cas leaned over the table to point the sharp end of his blade toward Gabe's stomach, but paused to look up at Sam again and give him a remorseful stare.

“You're going to have to leave the room now, Sam.”

“What?! No,” Sam denied, grabbing Gabriel's entire arm, “I'm not leaving.”

“Gabriel's grace is very destructive,” Cas reminded, “The moment I pierce into it, this entire building may collapse. It is not safe for you to be in range of its -”

“ _I'm not leaving_ ,” Sam barked again.

Sam knew damn well how powerful Gabriel's grace was. He had seen it for himself a few nights ago, when they were trying to get pregnant. Gabe practically demolished that little farmhouse. But even with the knowledge of how destructive and harmful Gabriel's grace could be, Sam wasn't going anywhere. He was going to stay by Gabe's side until he saw those golden eyes open again. Cas must have been able to see the sheer magnitude of Sam's determination on his face, because the angel took a short breath and shook his head.

“Very well,” he grumbled, “I will attempt to use my own grace to keep Gabriel's contained. But you should still brace for impact. I have no doubt that this will be a profound event.”

Sam swallowed what little moisture he had left in his mouth as he scrambled to get into some kind of safe position. Sam started by criss-crossing Gabriel's short arms over his bare chest, making sure that the archangel's top half was secure. He then picked up Dickie from the floor and put the little dog on the table beside beside Gabe, wanting to keep him safe as well. Afterward, Sam snaked an arm under Gabriel's bare shoulders and leaned over them both, cradling Gabe's golden head in the crook of one arm and holding Dickie's furry body with his other.

Once he was sure that he, Gabe, and Dickie were going to be okay, Sam turned to give Cas a nod. The angel nodded in return – and began to glow. Cas's eyes lit up, his skin turned shiny, and Sam was sure that he was coming out of his vessel to enclose Gabe's grace. Not wanting to damage his eyes, Sam tucked his head into his own arms, nuzzling his face between Gabe's neck and Dickie's back for safety. He rubbed some of Gabe's soft hair in the process, wishing that he could be more help.

“I'm still here, Gabe,” Sam promised in a whisper, “I'm right here with you...”

The enormous blast finally cut through the room, rippling up Sam's back and tossing his lengthy hair around. Sam squeezed his arms even tighter around his family during the small explosion, wanting to keep them safe from the harmful effects. Dickie whined louder and burrowed himself deeper into Sam's embrace while the chaotic sound and light filled the garage. Sam kept both eyes closed and tried to maintain a calm composure. ' _Cas has this handled_ ,' he reminded himself, ' _Everything is going to be okay_.'

The light from Gabriel's grace seemed to shine for several minutes. Sam could feel the skin on his back starting to burn from the heat behind him. He was starting to worry that something had gone wrong. What if Cas couldn't deliver the baby? What if she was tangled up in her own umbilical cord? What if Gabriel's grace somehow refused to let her come out? What if it was too late?

Luckily, the light went out as smoothly as it had lit up. The shine faded away and the wind died down, turning the room back into the same dull space as it had been before. Even though the light was gone, Sam was afraid to lift his head. He didn't know whether Cas was done or not...

Until he heard a tiny cry.

It was a tear-jerking kind of cry; a sort of ' _weh_ ' that seemed to echo from far away and travel straight to Sam's beating heart. The sound was so small that he had to tilt his head to hear over Dickie's whimpering. The cry was coming from behind him, where Cas was standing. And it sounded so _beautiful_.

Tears were already swelling up in Sam's eyes when he finally lifted his head to look behind him. Gabriel's stomach wasn't glowing anymore. It was pale and flattened; a much different contrast to a few moments before. But splatters of blood were peppered all along the bottom where Cas had made a small incision. Castiel himself was still glowing a bit and his hands and the front part of his trench coat were covered in blood, too. But his blue eyes were fixed on the wiggling pink thing in his arms.

Sam used his shaky legs to stand up and focus his blurring sight on the whining, moving baby inside Cas's hands. Tiny little feet were kicking and teeny-tiny hands were reaching out from beyond the bloody sleeve of his trench coat. And that heartbreaking cry grew louder; making chill bumps race across Sam's skin. Holy shit! That was _his daughter_! She was really there, breathing and crying and moving! She was _born_!

“ _Oh my God_ ,” Sam croaked, feeling a warm tear slide down his face.

Even from a distance, Sam could see that she was perfect. Ten fingers, ten toes, Sam's chin and eyes, Gabe's cheeks and hair, a good set of lungs and a feisty attitude. Within the first few seconds of looking at his daughter, Sam already loved her more than life itself. There was nothing he wouldn't do for her. No mountain he wouldn't climb, no fire he wouldn't walk through. She was everything Sam hoped she would be _and more_. Just looking at her made him want to breakdown in tears. She was so _small_ ; so fragile and petite. Oh man, she took after Gabriel so much!

Sam tore his eyes away from his daughter long enough to look down at Gabriel's head in his arms. He was hoping to meet Gabe's amber eyes and share the absolute joy of being a new parent with him – but Gabe's eyes were still closed. His face looked even paler than before and his skin seemed to be void of all warmth. Sam's heart plummeted as he reached up to cup the side of Gabe's cool cheek.

“Gabe, she's here,” Sam whimpered, feeling more tears slip from his eyes, “... Gabriel?”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I am sooo sorry for the cliffhanger! :( But as feelsy and frantic as that last half was, you've gotta admit that finally meeting the baby was worth it, right? ;) I promise to explain more about her premature birth in the next chapter. I'm sure a lot of you caught the Oompa Loompa dream reference from 'Forbidden Fruit' at the beginning. I stuck that in there for the late, great Gene Wilder. (aka, the original Willy Wonka.) And I hope that Cesar Millan doesn't mind having his title borrowed, because Bobby Singer has secretly become the new dog whisperer. Gabe was right; those puppies are growing on him. (I think Peter is his favorite.) :) Onward to chapter 11! :)


	11. Chapter 11

Gabriel thought that going for a little walk around Singer's salvage yard would help him get his energy back. After all, things in motion tended to stay in motion. He figured that moving around would help him _and_ the baby feel better. But, apparently, he had been wrong. Because the longer he walked with Sam and Dickie, the weaker Gabriel felt.

By the time he spotted those adorable daisies near the fence, Gabe felt like he couldn't even catch his breath anymore. He was secretly relieved when Sam stopped walking to search for the flowers that he pointed out. Gabriel was being genuinely honest about picking those flowers for their rabbit, though. He really _did_ want to get them for her; sort of like a 'welcome to the world' birthday gift. And, as usual, all Gabriel had to do was bat his eyelashes a few times and Sammy crumbled like a piece of paper.

“Alright,” Sam said, agreeing to go and get the flowers, “But you stay here. I don't want you overexerting yourself.”

The kid gently let go of the archangel and leaned him up against a nearby stack of cars. Gabriel clung to the damp, rusty metal with a shaky hand, still trying to silently catch his breath. He was glad that Sam wasn't going to make him walk any further, but he didn't mention it out loud. Gabe didn't want to hear the old ' _I told you so_ ' that would undoubtedly follow...

“Okay,” Gabriel huffed, putting on a smile, “Make sure you get them all, Sammy.”

The giant man towered over Gabe and pecked a quick kiss to the top of his head before turning to start off for the bundle of flowers in the distance. Gabriel could feel something weird happening to his body as he watched Sam walk away. It felt like his heart was beating differently; abruptly slowing down and forcing his lungs to palpitate awkwardly behind his ribcage. He suddenly felt woozy on his feet, unable to even form thoughts or breathe properly. Gabriel tried to keep his eyes focused on Sam, watching the way his plaid shirt rippled across his back in the warm morning breeze and his smooth dark hair brushed around his neck. But as the seconds ticked by, Gabriel found himself losing control over his own body. His sight was blurring, his legs were weakening, and his eyes were closing by themselves.

The last image Gabriel remembered seeing was Sam kneeling on the ground, picking flowers for their unborn daughter in the morning sun. Then the archangel leaned dangerously off balance, lost his footing, and fell with a 'thud' to the ground. He couldn't tell if he was hurt or not because everything went black. Thoughts, feelings, sensations; they all disappeared. The archangel was caught in limbo between being asleep and being awake, and he couldn't stop it.

Most of Gabe's senses had shut down, but he was still able to hear a few noises. The sounds echoed to him distantly like they were traveling down a long tunnel. The most prominent noise Gabe heard was the bark of a dog, followed by bits and pieces of familiar voices. But Gabriel was so delirious and out of sorts that he hardly recognized any of the words, let alone who the voices belonged to. It was as if the sounds were dwindling away like burning firewood. Gabe's sense of hearing was fading out too, leaving him alone in the dark.

The last sound Gabriel was able to hear before it all disappeared was the phrase, ' _I'm still here._ ' Although he was mostly unconscious, Gabe found that small statement to be kind of comforting. At least someone was there with him. Even though he couldn't see or hear anything, at least Gabe knew he wasn't alone. With his sense of hearing gone completely, Gabriel didn't have much else to do but embrace the darkness ahead. He felt pretty tired, anyway. Going to sleep wasn't so bad, was it? Maybe if he just rested for a while, he would wake up feeling better.

Then a sharp pain echoed all the way through Gabriel's entire being. Something sharp was slicing into him. Not just his vessel, but his _grace_ , too. The archangel could feel the sting of a blade piercing into his stomach, filleting him open and exposing the inside of his true form. _Ow_! That burned like a _bitch_! Who was doing that?! Who was putting all of that pressure on his stomach?! Who was digging around inside of him like they were playing Operation?!

It wasn't long after Gabriel felt the stinging pain on his stomach that he began to grow cold. Something new was happening to him that he couldn't explain. He still couldn't hear or think or feel – but he didn't care, either. A familiar peace had come over him and he wasn't in pain anymore. In fact, he felt quite comfortable and relaxed...

_That was when he saw the light._

_It was a soft light, shining right in front of him and slowly growing brighter as he got closer to it. And the spectacle made him feel strangely homesick. Heaven was filled with lights like that; pretty white ones that gave off comfort and reserved joy. But the glow also made Gabriel feel kind of confused. Where did this light come from? Who sent it? Man, it seemed so damn familiar. Like it was an aura of someone Gabe knew personally..._

“ _Dad?” the archangel asked._

_Gabriel had a feeling that the light was somehow linked his father. And he kind of hoped it was true, because he hadn't heard from his old man in millenniums and seeing the guy again actually would have made him really happy. But when Gabriel spoke, the light flashed in front of him. The archangel shielded his eyes from the sheer magnitude of its brightness before blinking them open again to look around._

_Gabe suddenly found himself standing in a sunny meadow full of trees. Soft white clothes were wrapped around his body, gentle green grass was beneath his bare feet, and the lovely smell of a spring breeze was swirling in his lungs. A tiny stream of water was flowing nearby, giving the place a nice echo of trickling water. Warm sunlight was shining down through the leafy branches overhead, casting rays of golden illumination on the wooded area. Birds were chirping, water was flowing, flowers were blooming. And it wasn't until he turned toward the left that Gabriel realized he wasn't alone._

_A woman was standing near a very large tree a few feet away from him. The first thing he noticed about her was the hem of her soft dress swaying around in the breeze. She was silently leaning up against the bark, wearing a pure white sundress with her hands folded neatly in front of her. Her curly blonde hair was gently being ruffled by the soft breeze, but her lovely blue eyes were focused on the archangel before her. There was a timid smile on her pink lips as she tilted her head a little bit to look at him properly._

_Gabriel felt a little surprised and caught off guard. Jessica Moore was standing right in front of him, in all her beautiful glory. And the strangest part was that Gabe actually felt_ glad _to see her. All of the unjust animosity and bitterness he had been feeling toward her for so long was suddenly gone. Jessica wasn't his enemy anymore. Now, she felt more like his friend. And her unexpected appearance both comforted and confused him._

“ _Hi,” Gabe offered, trying to break the silence._

_The intimidatingly beautiful woman smiled brighter and raised her hand to give a slight wave. She didn't open her mouth to speak, though. She remained quietly by the tree, seeming to be waiting for Gabriel to say more. Gabe gulped as he searched Jessica's blue eyes from a distance. She wasn't there to talk. She was there to listen. And it made Gabriel realize that he needed to get everything off his chest. Sam was suddenly the only thing Gabe could think about and it was stirring up all kinds of emotions. Gabriel took a large breath as he stared at Jessica's pretty face. He didn't want to hurt her. They were friends, now. But he had to say his peace..._

“ _Look... Jessica,” Gabriel began, keeping his voice soft, “I know Sam was yours. I know that you loved him and that he loved you... But I love him, too. More than you could ever imagine.”_

_Jessica nodded, showing that she was paying attention to every word. Gabe shifted around in the soft grass, feeling kind of embarrassed. He wished that he could put his emotions into better words._

“ _I know that sounds cliché and bloated,” Gabe admitted, “but it's true. I seriously love that kid more than anything. He's sweet, and smart, and respectful, and friendly... He's everything I'm not. He literally completes me. Sam is my better half. The missing piece to my puzzle. He's the Cheech to my Chong, the Mulder to my Scully, the Donny to my Marie...”_

_A tiny giggle slipped from Jessica's smiling lips and Gabe's voice trailed off with a smirk. He liked hearing her laugh. And knowing that she was amused by his weird sense of humor made him feel both proud_ and _regretful. For the past few days, Gabe had been thinking bad things about Jessica; hating her for being beautiful and having Sam's heart first. But Jessica only had goodwill toward him. She was glad that Gabriel and Sam were together. And the notion made Gabe feel terrible. The archangel's smile faded a bit as he stared at her apologetically._

“ _I'm sorry for being such a dick to you,” Gabriel sighed, “I shouldn't have wished that you were bald and toothless. I was just jealous because Sam loved you first and – Well, look at you. You're gorgeous. Who wouldn't be jealous?”_

_Jessica blushed and glanced away with a smile, seeming bashful about the compliment. But Gabriel made sure to meet her eyes again before he said his next words._

“ _Jess, I promise from here on out that I am always going to honor your memory,” the archangel swore with a gentle tone, “because you helped Sam become the man that he is today. I'm grateful that you were in his life before I was. He really needed you and you were there for him. So, thank you. I just hope that I be there for the_ rest _of his life. 'Cause, let's face it, that moose needs his candyman.”_

_A brilliant smiled lit up Jessica's entire face as she gave a nod of agreement. With a few slow and graceful steps, she walked closer to the archangel in the meadow, closing the distance between them. Gabriel stood still and watched her come closer, still taken back by how stunningly beautiful she was._

_Once she was mere inches away, Jessica reached out to wrap both arms around Gabriel's shoulders and pull him into a warm hug. Gabe blinked at the tree behind her, feeling surprised and flattered. He never expected to receive a hug like this from her. It was so gentle and meaningful, full of admiration and_ forgiveness _. Gabriel gently slid his own arms around her tiny waist to return the favor, wanting to show that he was grateful for the gesture. Man, he was so glad that he finally got to talk to her. He felt a million times better already..._

_They stayed in their friendly embrace for a moment before Jessica carefully pulled away. She stood up straight and smiled at him again, still not saying a word. Gabriel took a large breath of relief, breathing in the rich smell of the woodsy meadow._

“ _Thanks,” he said again, “For everything.”_

_Jessica nodded again – and leaned down to give Gabriel's cheek a tiny kiss – before taking a few steps back. The sunlight shining down on the meadow was growing brighter, causing everything to turn white and blurry. Gabe stared at Jessica and her soft white dress for as long as he could before the light became too much to handle. He eventually had to close his eyes to prevent them from burning..._

Then, it was dark again.

Pain, weariness, and emotion were slowly leaking back into Gabriel's awareness, reminding him that he was back inside his earthly vessel. His limbs were weak and his head felt heavy again. His eyes were still closed, so he didn't know where he was. But he knew that he was laying down because his legs were stretched out and his arms were flat at his sides. A soft, warm bundle of fur was tucked under one of his wrists too, gently raising and falling as if it was breathing.

It wasn't long before Gabriel's sense of hearing started to return. He could hear the gentle hum of an osculating fan running to his left and the creak of a rocking chair gliding against hard wood floor to his right. A small whimpering sound was accompanying the chair, which made Gabriel think that someone must have been trying to rock a baby to sleep. Gabe struggled against his own weakness to get his eyelids to open, wanting to see who was there. A heavy weight suddenly eased down on the side of Gabriel's bed, making his body lean toward it.

“Can I hold her, now?”

Gabe knew that voice. He would know that voice anywhere. That was Sammy. The kid was talking to someone else in the room. A remorseful sigh echoed from the rocking chair in the distance.

“I'm sorry, Sam,” Castiel's voice denied, sounding apologetic, “but her body is very fragile right now. Being born prematurely has left her slightly underdeveloped and she requires surrogate grace if she is to gain a proper weight.”

“So, you're basically incubating her,” Sam stated quietly.

“In a manner of speaking, yes,” Cas agreed, “But, I'm not sure if my grace is helping. It lacks the ambient power that she has become accustomed to. If anything, I'm merely keeping her in a stable condition. Gabriel's grace is what she truly needs in order to overcome this obstacle.”

“I know...” Sam breathed.

Gabriel could hear the genuine heartbreak in Sam's voice. Although he was hearing the conversation taking place around him, Gabe still didn't understand what Sam and Cas were talking about. His mind was still trying to wake up from a long sleep. Desperate to see his moose again, Gabriel gathered all the strength he had left and used it to open his eyes.

At first, the harsh light of the room made the archangel's vision blurry. But after blinking several times, his sight eventually came into focus and he realized that he was looking at a small table next to his bed – where a glass full of daisies was sitting on top. Gabe stared at the fresh flowers at his bedside for a moment while memories began to surface in his mind. Oh. _Oh_. Those were the flowers that Sam had been picking in Bobby's junkyard right before Gabriel passed out...

The ball of fur under Gabriel's wrist suddenly moved, tugging itself out from under his loose grip to move on the bed. Gabe glanced down to see his dog's familiar furry head come into view. Dickie was sniffing his owner with concern, seeming glad that his eyes were open. Man, Gabe had never been so glad to see Dickie in his whole life.

“Gabe?”

Gabriel rolled his head toward the other side of the bed, where Sam's voice had come from. The kid was perched on the edge of the mattress but he was leaning back to staring at the archangel with a look of hopeful excitement. Seeing Sam's face again made all sorts of chemicals rush through Gabe's veins. The man seemed a little tired but no less gorgeous than ever. And just looking at him made Gabe feel so _happy_.

Apparently, the kid was just as happy to see Gabriel too. Because the moment their eyes met, Sam slid closer and leaned down to scoop both arms under Gabe's torso, hugging him horizontally. Gabe took a deep breath, filling his nose and lungs with the sweet scent of Sam's soft hair. Damn, he loved waking up to the warmth of Sam's body pressing against his own. He loved seeing Sam's face and getting to smell his scent. Hugging him felt like coming home...

“Oh my God, I was so _worried_ about you,” Sam whispered against the side of Gabe's head.

Gabriel wanted to tell Sam that it was no big deal and that he was probably going to be fine, but the archangel couldn't find his voice. Sam raised up momentarily to look into Gabriel's eyes again, searching them over and over as they were made of fine jewels. But Gabe didn't mind, because he was staring right back at Sam's; memorizing the way the emerald and copper swirled together in his irises.

Sam swooped back down to peck Gabe's lips with a quick, meaningful kiss, acting like Gabe had just come back from war. Gabe gladly opened his mouth to welcome Sam's tongue, trying to show that he was just as desperate to kiss him back – but a sharp pain suddenly raced up from Gabe's lower stomach and the archangel broke away with a yelp.

“ _Ow_ ,” he cringed.

“Oh! I'm sorry!” Sam gasped, immediately raising up to look down at the blanket on top of Gabe's abdomen, “I forgot about the cut.”

“Cut?” the archangel replied, his voice hoarse and weak, “What cut?”

A new wave of paleness seemed to wash over Sam's face. He looked urgently apologetic all of the sudden, like he had some bad news that he was afraid to share. Gabe felt one of Sam's huge hands come up and start to pull his blanket down.

“G – Gabe, don't freak out,” Sam began with a gentle tone, still lowering the blanket, “Everything is fine, now... but a few hours ago, you passed out. And we – we had to deliver the baby.”

Gabriel was still in the process of getting his own mind sorted out, so he when he heard Sam's statement, the archangel didn't quite comprehend the magnitude of it. Gabe just blinked up at Sam several times, trying to get his brain to compute. Deliver the baby? Wait, did he mean _their_ baby? Was he talking about _their rabbit_?! _Did they deliver her without him knowing_?!

Sam finished pulling the blanket the rest of the way down, revealing Gabe's bare torso. His shirt was gone and his stomach was disturbingly flat. It wasn't glowing, either. A good-sized, jagged mark was etched across the base of his abdomen just below his belly button. Gabe reached up with a weak hand to touch the mark, feeling the sting of pain echo through his body. The baby wasn't inside his stomach anymore. His grace was completely empty...

Panic and worry rose up in Gabriel like a massive hurricane. Oh, no! His daughter was gone! If she wasn't in his grace, then where was she?! Sam must have seen the total fear and shock beginning to spread across Gabe's face because the man quickly reached out to clutch the archangel's face with both hands.

“Gabe, it's okay,” he promised, “She's fine.”

“Where is she?” Gabriel breathed, looking around frantically, “I want to see her. I want to hold her. Where - ?”

In his frantic search, Gabe caught sight of Castiel standing up across the room. The seraph had been sitting in a rocking chair but now he was climbing to his feet. His entire vessel was glowing as if he was exposing some of his grace, but most of the light was concentrated in his arms – where he was cradling a bundle of pink and yellow fabric. With a group of shaky limbs and a little help from Sam, Gabriel carefully sat up on the bed, but his eyes remained focused on the swaddled blanket in Cas's hands the whole time.

“She is here, brother,” Cas confirmed, his mouth turning downward, “but I don't think it would be wise for you to hold her right now.”

Gabriel's heart plummeted. Not wise to hold her? What the hell was Cas talking about? She was his _daughter_! Nobody was going to stop him from holding her! Why would Cas say something like that?

“Why?” the archangel nearly demanded.

“She was born prematurely,” Cas reminded, “She requires more time inside celestial grace – preferably _yours_. But your grace has been damaged and weakened. I can hardly detect it at all. I fear that her underdeveloped body may not function properly if she is without grace for very long.”

Gabriel was sure that Cas meant well. He was sure that everything Cas said was true and that there probably was some risk involved in exposing the baby to the natural world or whatever. But Gabriel never lowered his arms and his determination never wavered. He was going to hold his daughter whether Cas liked it or not. Health risks be damned.

“Give her to me, Castiel,” Gabriel wheezed lowly, “Please.”

Gabe tacked on the 'please' because he knew Cas was a sucker for a polite begging tone. Castiel's glowing eyes briefly flickered to Sam, who nodded in Gabriel's favor. With a hefty sigh of worry, Cas finished the trek across the room to Gabe's bed and shifted the bundle of fabric around in his arms.

“Very well,” the seraph murmured, carefully lowering the blanket toward Gabriel.

Gabe's heart beat fast with excitement as he received the warm soft blanket. He knew that his tiny little rabbit was in their somewhere; probably sleeping, because she hadn't made any noise yet. Castiel's glow flickered out as handed the baby off, making the room a bit less bright as he retreated back inside his vessel. Gabriel knew his arms were weak and his hands were shaking, so he made sure to cradle the fabric snugly against his chest before peering down inside.

Sam and Gabriel's little girl was everything they had hoped for. Her fine hair was pale; probably blonde, like Gabe's. Her little cheeks were stamped with dimples, like Sam's. Her hands and ears and nose were all extremely small, like Gabe's. And her beautiful eyes were open and blinking around, housing the same shades of emerald and copper that Sam's possessed. As he stared down at his newborn child for the first time, tears swelled up in Gabriel's eyes and he felt overwhelmingly, indescribably _happy_. Wow. She was so damn _beautiful_. And so very, very _small_. She was everything he had ever wanted and more. Holding her made him feel _complete_.

“Hey there, gorgeous,” Gabe whispered with a smile.

A tiny little ' _eh_ ' squeaked from her mouth as she wiggled around inside the blanket. It seemed like she knew there wasn't any grace surrounding her anymore and it made her uncomfortable. Wanting to console her, Gabriel reached a finger down inside the blanket to scoop up her tiny hand – and as soon as they touched, they both started to glow. His skin was shining gold again, like it did when he was pregnant, and her whole body shined with the same intensity. It felt like all the broken pieces of Gabriel's grace had snapped back together. Gabe felt _whole_ again.

“What's happening?” Sam asked, leaning close to them on the bed.

“They are healing each other,” Castiel breathed in surprise.

Cas must have been right, because Gabe could feel the sting in his lower stomach fading away. The longer he held onto his child's hand, the better he felt. And it seemed like she was feeling better too, because she finally stopped squirming and settled into a comfortable position inside her blanket. Gabe smile down at his child again, feeling a few stray tears run down his cheeks. They were _healing_ each other. The two of them had formed a bond unlike any other in existence. It was the miraculous bond between parent and child that Gabriel had waited for his entire life...

“I... I've wanted to hold you since the dawn of time,” the archangel said, his voice cracking a bit.

The baby only blinked up at him with Sam's beautiful eyes, looking precious beyond words. Her entire fist was wrapped around Gabriel's index finger, holding on tight with confidence. Gabe felt like he could stare at her forever. She was just so damn _pretty_. The prettiest thing he had ever seen.

Sam scooted closer on the bed to reach over and pull her blanket back a little bit. It wasn't until Gabe tore his eyes away from their baby and looked up that he realized Sam was crying. Tears of joy were running down his face, drawing streaks over his dimples and smiling lips. The kid stared down at the baby for a second before raising his head to meet Gabe's eyes.

“She looks just like you, Gabe,” Sammy grinned, wiping some of his own tears away.

“Nah. There's some moose in her features. See those pretty eyes? They came from you, kiddo,” Gabe pointed out.

Sam gave a croaky chuckle and sniffled a bit, letting his sight drop back to the precious treasure tucked inside the blanket. In the meantime, Dickie gently nudged his way under Sam's arm and tilted his head up. The dog was stretching his neck, trying to steal a peek over the edge of the blanket for himself. Gabe carefully leaned forward just enough to let Dickie see the newborn baby. The dog sniffed eagerly in her general direction, seeming intrigued and excited.

“I hope you like being dressed in drag for imaginary tea parties, Dickie,” the archangel said, lifting an eyebrow, “'Cause in a few years, I don't think you'll have much of a choice.”

Dickie wagged his tail as if he was rather glad to hear that he was going to have a new playmate that would give him attention and love. He wiggled out from underneath Sam's arm and jumped off the bed to dash out of the room. The dog returned a second later with something fuzzy in his mouth. He hopped back up on the bed to drop the stuffed white bunny near Gabe's lap, where he nudged it with his nose and gave a tiny bark. Gabe beamed down at his dog, feeling so proud. Aww, Dickie already wanted to play with her. Or at least wanted to let her know that he got her a gift.

“That reminds me,” Sam mumbled.

The kid picked up the rabbit and searched it over before raising his head to give Gabriel a weary look.

“The baby still doesn't have a name yet,” he mumbled quietly, sounding ashamed.

Gabriel tightened his arm around the bundled newborn in his arms as he looked back down at her precious face. Sam was right. 'Rabbit' wasn't exactly the sort of name that he wanted his daughter to have. She needed something good. Something simple and sweet. The kind of name that reminded people just how special she was...

Then, as he gently rubbed his thumb over each of his daughter's tiny fingers, Gabriel remembered the woodsy meadow. It all washed back into his mind at once. He remembered the peaceful, calm serenity. He remembered seeing Jessica, and admiring her white dress, and talking with her about Sam. But most of all, Gabriel remembered the hug she gave him. It was so warm and friendly; so full of _forgiveness_. Jessica had officially given Sam to Gabriel and that hug was the stamp that sealed it. Thinking about her didn't make Gabe angry or jealous anymore. Remembering Jessica actually made him happy. And Gabriel never wanted that happiness to go away...

“Jessica,” Gabe smiled, staring down at his newborn daughter, “I want to name her Jessica.”

“What?” Sam breathed.

The kid was understandably confused. He and Gabe met eyes again and Gabe could see the total bewilderment on Sam's face.

“Gabe, I thought... I thought you didn't...” Sam trailed off, shaking his head.

Gabriel shrugged a bit. Part of him wanted to explain what happened; how he met Jessica in a meadow and talked things out with her. But a much larger part of him wanted it to remain private. Maybe one day in the future, he would tell Sam all about it. But for now, it needed to stay between Gabriel and Jessica.

“Trust me, kid. I really think we should name her Jessica,” the archangel assured.

Sam and Gabe stared at each other in silence for a moment and Gabe could see understanding slowly growing across the man's face. An unspoken agreement slowly settled between them and Sam's eyes grew clear with sympathy.

“If that's what you want,” Sam nodded with a small smile, “Then, that's what we'll call her.”

Gabe's heart felt swollen with joy again. Man, Sammy was so understanding and considerate. Gabriel felt so lucky in that moment, staring at his favorite human and holding their newborn daughter in his arms... A soft knock came from the door across the room. Gabriel, Sam, Castiel, and Dickie all raised their heads to look toward the door, wondering who was on the other side.

“Cas, it's me,” Dean's gruff voice announced.

The older Winchester popped his head into the room and his eyebrows scrunched upon seeing everyone sitting up together. Dean slowly edged the rest of the way inside, revealing that he was holding Jude in the crook of his arm. Gabriel was glad to see his baby nephew again. The little guy was wearing that signature look of curiosity, looking so much his angelic father. Dean walked in and gave Gabriel a slight nod, silently stating that he was glad to see him awake. Gabriel returned the favor with a small smile.

“I, uh, looked for the smallest diapers that I could find, but I still don't think any of them will fit her,” the older Winchester mumbled to Castiel.

“That's okay, Dean. It seems that she has started growing again,” Cas assured.

While his fathers talked quietly, Jude reached for Sam, stretching and waving his little arms out desperately. Seeing that Jude wanted to be transferred to the bed, Sammy carefully scooped the baby out of Dean's hands and brought him into his own lap.

Once he was on the bed with his uncles, Jude leaned far over to look inside the blanket in Gabriel's hands. Gabe smiled at Jude's curiosity and tilted the blanket out so that Jude could see her better. After all, it was only fair that they finally got to meet each other. When Jude's blue eyes blinked down at the newborn baby for the first time, he smiled widely, showing all three of his tiny white teeth.

“Jessie!”

Every adult in the room turned to look toward Jude, who had just spoken clearly. The five-month-old baby had just said an entire word for the first time. He had pronounced his cousin's name perfectly – _without ever hearing it before_. Gabriel's jaw dropped. How the hell did Jude know that her name was Jessica?! They had just given it to her a few minutes ago!

“How... How did...” Sam breathed in shock.

“Jude is a child of many talents,” Castiel mused quietly, “and I believe he has already claimed Jessica as his best friend.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I hope the utter downpour of fluff in this chapter was able to make up for the feels and cliffhanger from the last one. :) In a way, Chuck arranged the meeting between Gabe and Jessica, of course. He must have known that Gabe was having some trouble, so he gave him a moment to talk with her. ;) I hope that the whole 'grace' thing makes sense in this chapter; how the baby needed to be sort of 'incubated' because she was premature. She reconnected with Gabe's grace, so she's gonna be fine now. ;) When Dickie first met her, I kind of imagined that scene from 'Lady and the Tramp,' where Lady first meets the baby. (So cute!) And yes. The baby's name is Jessica Mary Winchester. Although Gabe is probably going to call her 'Jessica Rabbit' a lot. (Also 'Jessie,' as Jude demonstrated.) I hope you all enjoyed it! :)


	12. Chapter 12

Sam read the directions on the baby formula label at least three times before pouring the warm water into the bottle with the powder. He wanted to make absolutely certain that he was mixing the correct amount, because this was going to be his daughter's very first meal and he wanted it to be perfect. Gabriel had carried her inside his grace and gave birth to her, so the very least Sam could do was provide her with a nutritious first meal.

After gently shaking up the bottle and testing the temperature of the contents on his wrist, Sam swept out of Bobby's kitchen and headed down the hallway. He could already hear Gabe's voice echoing from the bedroom, cooing in a sweet and playful tone. Ever since he woke up, Gabriel had been talking to their daughter constantly; yacking her little ears off with nonsense. Now, it sounded like he was on the topic of Disney princesses.

“Cinderella is the one with the shoe and the mice,” Gabe explained to the newborn baby in his glowing arms as Sam strolled quietly into the room, “Jasmine is the one with the tiger and the slutty outfit, and Tarzan is the one who lives with monkeys and wears a loincloth.”

Sam's eyebrows scrunched in confusion as he finished the trek to the bed.

“Tarzan isn't a princess,” he mentioned.

Gabe looked up just in time to see Sam sit on the bed next to him. There was a mischievous twinkle in his honey eyes, the same one that Sam secretly adored.

“Well, it takes one to know one. Right, Tarzan?” the archangel winked.

Sam paused to roll his eyes. Surely he didn't look _that_ much like Tarzan, did he? The man lifted the warm bottle formula and held it out to his glowing boyfriend, who took it instantly.

“Ah-ha! Look, Jessica-Rabbit! Daddy got you some lunch,” Gabe hummed to the baby, bringing the small bottle to her mouth,“Here you go, lil' bunny. Drink up.”

Sam's eyes dropped down to his newborn daughter, who was still wrapped up in Bobby's baby blanket. It didn't take her very long to latch onto her bottle and start suckling. She was drinking the milk in huge gulps, acting like she was very hungry. While she drank, Sam studied her petite features, once again captivated by how small she was. How could something so tiny be so breathtaking? How could someone so small be so powerful? She wasn't even able to hold her own head up yet and she already had Sam wrapped around her pinky finger...

“Wow, look at her go,” Gabe whispered.

The milk was disappearing from the bottle pretty quickly. Sam was actually just as surprised as Gabe. He didn't think it was possible for newborns to drink so fast. The speed reminded Sam of watching Gabriel consume candy like a vacuum cleaner.

“She gets that from you, Gabe,” Sam pointed out.

“Yeah, I know,” Gabriel murmured, sounding proud of himself.

Within a matter of minutes, baby Jessica finished off her lunch. As soon as Gabe plucked the bottle out of her mouth, a loud burp rumbled up from her tummy and she wiggled inside her glowing blanket, seeming pleased. Sam and Gabriel both smiled at each other above their daughter, equally amused by how adorable the sound was.

“Eats like a rabbit, burps like a moose,” Gabe grinned, looking back down at her, “Man, you are something else aren't you, baby doll?”

Jessica's only reply was her constant movement. By the scrunchy expression on her face, Sam could tell that she was getting uncomfortable. The baby kicked her tiny legs and waved her arms, making little ' _eh_ ' noises. Sam's parental worry spiked. Oh no, she was about to cry. Was she okay? Did she need more milk? A diaper change? Was the light bothering her? What was wrong? Gabriel shifted around on the bed, seeming to find a better position for them.

“Hmm. I think the grace thing is starting to bother her. She must be done with it,” Gabe mumbled, looking up at Sam, “Do you want to hold her for a while, Daddy?”

Sam blinked at Gabriel's bright eyes, watching his golden glow begin to fade out. The baby had been in constant need of grace ever since she was born, which meant she had been too fragile for Sam to hold. But now, Gabriel was finally offering him the chance to hold their daughter; to feel the weight of her in his arms and cradle her close to his own heart. So, naturally, Sam was at a momentary loss for words. It took him a minute to find his voice before he eagerly agreed.

“Y – yes,” he breathed, reaching out both hands.

Gabriel's smiled widely and leaned down to place a kiss on the baby's forehead before carefully maneuvering around to pass her off to Sam. Sam made sure to support her neck as he received her, knowing that she was very fragile. Once she was in her Daddy's grasp, Jessica took a few breaths and stopped wiggling. Her blinking eyes eventually wandered their way up to Sam's, where the two of them fully looked at each other for the first time.

An indescribable gust of warmth and emotion suddenly rushed through Sam's entire soul. New tears were pressing at the back of his eyes and a large blockage was suddenly stuck in his throat. Sam was staring down at his daughter's beautiful face. And – _damn_ – he almost couldn't believe it was really happening. All of his life, Sam thought that being a parent just wasn't in the cards for him. He had already said goodbye to the thought of holding his own child in his arms because he knew it was never going to happen... But now, he was _actually doing it_. In that moment, as he searched his daughter's precious face, Sam knew he had been given a gift; a gift that he thought he would never receive. But by some miracle, there she was. More beautiful than he ever imagined...

“Geez, kiddo. Are you going to cry _every time_ you look at her?” Gabe asked playfully.

Sam let out a noise that sounded like a half chuckle, half whimper. Yes. He probably _was_ going to cry every time he looked at his daughter. Because she was just so perfect, from the fine blonde hairs on her head to the teeny-tiny creases on the bottom of her feet. Looking at her made Sam feel so _blessed_. A grin played around the edges of her small mouth as they stared at each other, like she was happy to see him too. A wet tear slid from the corner of Sam's eye as he smiled down at his little girl.

“Hey, Jess,” the man whispered.

Sam didn't realize how perfect his child's name was until he said it out loud. Saying it always reminded him of his former girlfriend, of course, but now it didn't hurt anymore. The name 'Jessica' actually brightened his smile again, the way it used to back in college. And he couldn't imagine the precious baby in his arms having any other name... One of Gabe's hands slid up to softly clutch Sam's thigh.

“Are you okay, Sam?” the archangel asked, sounding genuinely worried.

The man sniffled a bit as he raised his head to look at his boyfriend. Yes, he was okay. _More_ than okay. But he couldn't possibly put all of these colossal emotions into words.

“I just... I can't believe I'm holding her,” Sam squeaked, feeling another tear slide down his own cheek, “I didn't think I was ever going to have this, Gabe. I can't believe I have _you_. And I can't believe we have _her_.”

“Well, you'd better start believing, kid,” Gabe smiled, reaching up to rub Sam's tears away, “Because you've got it _all_.”

Another croaky chuckle fell out of Sam's mouth as he and Gabriel smiled at each other. The two of them leaned forward to bring their mouths together, hovering over their newborn daughter to kiss. Sam didn't think it was possible to be so happy. To be honest, he felt like he didn't deserve this kind of joy. These types of blessings were only given to normal people. Not hunters with terrible pasts. And yet, there he was – kissing his soul mate while he held their daughter in his arms. It was more than he could ever ask for...

A gentle knock came from the bedroom door.

Sam and Gabriel pulled away from their kiss to look behind them at the entrance of the room. The door was half open and Bobby was leaning inside, glancing in cautiously like he didn't want to interrupt. The three little hellhound puppies were swarmed around his feet as always while the old man stepped into the bedroom.

“Sorry,” Bobby began, his cheeks flushing red beneath his beard, “Sam, Dean says he needs some help loadin' the baby stuff into the trunk.”

Sam nodded and turned around to hand the baby back to Gabriel. But the archangel shook his own head and gripped Sam's arm in denial.

“No, no. Don't get up, moose. I'll handle it,” Gabe volunteered, scooting toward the edge of the bed.

Sam watched Gabriel climb to his feet, feeling a little confused. The guy had gone through a traumatic experience yesterday – almost died from giving birth because he had to be sliced open while unconscious – and now he was volunteering to help Dean load heavy stuff into the Impala? Was he crazy? Did he not care about his own well being at all?

“Gabe, you should probably rest,” Sam suggested.

“I'm fine, kiddo. This time I really mean it. Jessie and I healed each other up pretty good. You don't have to worry,” Gabriel reminded, flashing that signature smirk.

Although Sam still wanted to argue, he held his tongue. Gabe was right. He and the baby had been in a healing bond for almost twenty-four hours. Maybe he really was all healed up. The archangel leaned down to peck another tiny kiss to Jessica's forehead – and planted one on Sam's lips – before starting for the door.

“Papa will be back in a minute,” Gabe promised.

Sam watched the archangel stroll casually out of the room before turning his attention to Bobby. The old man was still lingering in front of the door with his eyes on the baby in Sam's arms, peering out from under the bill of his hat with curiosity. It seemed like he wanted to take a closer look at Jessica, but was too afraid or timid to actually ask. Sam smiled at Bobby's hesitance. It was kind of funny to see a tough hunter acting so bashful around a baby.

“Do you want to hold her, Bobby?” Sam offered.

Bobby's eyes briefly flickered up to Sam's with surprised, like he never expected to be given such an honor. The old man coughed and shifted around a little bit by the door, seeming nervous. He glanced down at the puppies at his feet before taking a few steps toward the rocking chair near the window.

“Y – yeah. Sure,” he mumbled.

Sam could hear the underlying excitement in his voice. Bobby was secretly looking forward to holding the baby. He just didn't want to admit it out loud. The old man carefully sat down in the rocking chair, where all of the puppies sat down nearby and tilted their heads up to watch him. Sammy gathered Jessica up in his arms and climbed to his feet before stepping close to Bobby. He lowered the baby – blanket and all – down into the old man's arms, making sure to support her neck and head. Jessie only wiggled a little bit as she was being handed off. Once she was in Bobby's arms though, she relaxed again, letting one of her hands rest against the old man's button-up shirt.

Sam took a step back from the rocking chair to give Bobby a minute alone with the baby. But he didn't go far. He lingered near the bed and kept his eyes fixed on Bobby's face, watching the emotion grow across the old man's aged features. Throughout his life, Sam had witnessed Bobby express many different emotions. He saw the old man yell at the top of his lungs, and laugh until he dropped his beer, and meditate on case in silence for days. But Sam never, _ever_ saw him actually cry... until now.

A big, thick tear leaked out from the corner of Bobby's eye and rolled down into his beard as he blinked down at the baby in his arms. Bobby was holding her close to his chest, almost hugging her entire blanket. Sam knew what was happening. On some level, Bobby was probably thinking about his _own_ daughter; the one he never got to hold. The old man was finally getting to experience the inexplicable joy of cradling a newborn baby girl for the first time, even if it was vicarious. For a moment, Jessica belonged to Bobby. And Sam was more than happy to share his daughter with him. To give him that fatherly moment that he always wanted.

“This blanket fits you good, darlin',” Bobby whispered, gently rubbing the fabric between his calloused fingers, “I knew I saved it for a reason.”

Jessica hummed a tiny noise from inside her blanket, making Sam and Bobby both smile. Sam couldn't stop the few tears that escaped the edges of his own eyes. Watching Bobby get emotional was causing him to get emotional too. The black and white puppies on the floor were absolutely silent for once, barely moving their tails back and forth as they studied their master. Bobby just rocked back and forth slowly while he stared down at Jessica's little face, watching her blink and breathe.

The sound of heavy boots came clomping down the hallway and Sam turned around to see his older brother poke his head into the room. Dean leaned inside and looked around before entering, making sure the coast was clear.

“Hey. Gabe told me to come and get the bassinet,” he explained, gesturing toward the tall crib in the corner, “Everything okay?”

“Er, yeah,” Sam said, quickly wiping the moisture from his face leaning close to Dean, “Bobby's just, uh, holding the baby.”

The Winchester brothers both stood next to each other to watch their father-figure for a moment, secretly enjoying the view of his delight. Dean seemed to be just as touched by it as Sam was. His green eyes softened and he smiled a little as he raised his hand to pat Sam's shoulder.

“She's beautiful, man,” Dean hummed, “I don't know how we're gonna keep the boys away...”

Sam gave a quiet chuckle.

“Well, we _do_ own an arsenal of guns,” he mused, “But I don't think we need to worry too much. We're going to teach her how to take care of herself. Plus, she'll have Jude.”

“Yeah, that's true. Jude's gonna have her back... Just like I've got yours.”

Sam turned to give his brother a genuine smile. If there was one thing he could always depend on, it was Dean looking out for him. Sam never had to worry about being afraid of anything, because he always had his older brother there to protect him. And knowing that his daughter would be protected in the same way made Sam feel a million times better. With an impulse of gratitude, Sam leaned over to give Dean a quick hug.

“Thank you, Dean,” he mumbled.

Dean gave Sam's back a few pats.

“You're welcome, Sammy,” he replied.

A large sigh of exhaustion came from the doorway, interrupting the Winchester's touching moment. Dean and Sam both let go of each other to turn and see who had walked up. Gabriel was standing in the hall, looking slightly annoyed.

“I gave you _one job_ , freckles. Just come and get the bassinet. But _noooo_. You have to stop and grope my moose on the way,” the archangel grumbled playfully.

“Chill out, blondie. I'll get it in a minute. There's no rush,” Dean grinned.

Even though Gabriel seemed a little exasperated by Dean's stubbornness, the archangel came in to stand amongst the brothers. Sam was confused. Why were they loading up all the baby stuff anyway? Were they planning on going somewhere?

“Why are you loading the trunk?” Sam asked.

“Some church in Arkansas has a ghost problem. I figured we could help out,” Dean answered, “But like I said, there's no rush.”

Sam nodded and let his eyes travel back to the rocking chair across the room. Hunting with a newborn? That sounded kind of dangerous. But, then again, they had already been on several hunts with Jude. And the little guy was totally fine... Just about the time Jude popped into Sam's mind, Cas wandered in from the hallway with his son in his arms. The angel was carrying the five-month-old baby on his hip and both sets of their blue eyes were full of curiosity as they entered the room.

“Where is Jessica?” Cas asked instantly.

“Bobby's got her. Why?” Dean replied.

“Jude has been saying her name repeatedly,” the angel explained, giving his son a strange look, “I assume it's because he craves her company and wishes -”

“Jessie!” Jude exclaimed in a squeaky voice, wiggling around excitedly in Cas's arms.

Jude must have caught sight of Jessica's pink and yellow blanket in Bobby's arms because he was blinking toward the rocking chair and smiling. Every adult in the room was grinning from ear to ear, enjoying the adorable sight. Aww, Jude was excited to see her again. It was like they were already friends. Bobby noticed Jude's presence and carefully got up from the rocking chair, making sure to cradle Jessica as he stood up and walked across the room, unknowingly bringing the hellhound puppies with him.

“Here ya go, Papa,” the old man mumbled, gently passing the baby off to Gabriel.

The archangel instantly took the newborn back into his arms and glanced over her. Sam stepped closer to look over her, too – and to give Bobby a small half hug. He hoped that the subtle gesture would be enough to relay his own emotions. Sam was really glad that Bobby and Jessica had shared a moment together, but he didn't want to embarrass the old man by mentioning it in front of everyone. Bobby seemed to get the message though because he hugged Sam back with a tone of appreciation.

“Be careful, Jude,” Cas whispered.

Sam let go of Bobby just in time to see the five-month-old baby in Cas's arms leaning over to embrace the newborn in Gabriel's. Jude wrapped an arm around the blanket and laid his tiny head on Jessica's chest, giving her an awkward first hug. Every heart in the room melted. Even Bobby was tilting his head with a soft smile. Ugh, that was so damn _cute_! Clearly, Jude was already protective of his little cousin... Jessica shifted around underneath the weight of Jude's head and gave a big yawn, seeming tired. Cas carefully tugged Jude's tiny body away from the newborn and gave him a reassuring smile. But Jude appeared kind of upset that his hug was cut short.

“Jessie?” Jude repeated, his voice so tiny and sweet.

“Jessica requires rest now, son. You may see her again soon,” the angel promised, even though the baby probably didn't understand his words.

“Papa's right. Jessie needs to be with her daddies for a while. Besides, isn't it time for somebody to have _lunch_?” Dean cooed, leaning forward to give his son a big smile.

Raw excitement immediately returned to Jude's face. The baby eagerly flailed his arms and kicked his legs while he grinned, acting like Dean had just mentioned Disney World or something. Dean chuckled as he scooped his son out of Cas's arms and tossed him playfully in the air, making him squeal with a giggle.

“That's my boy,” Dean grinned, giving Cas a wink as he started for the door, “Come on, Papa. Let's go get some pie!”

“Jude cannot eat solid food yet, Dean. He cannot have pie,” Cas sighed wearily.

“Well, maybe we can stick a slice in the blender and puree it for him,” Dean suggested, tickling Jude's tummy.

“That is not a wise idea,” Cas grumbled.

Sam smiled and shook his head as Dean and Cas's voice faded down the hall. Leave it to Dean to find a way to sneak pie to his five-month-old child's diet... Once they were gone, Bobby shuffled toward the door too. The old man paused to give the newborn in Gabriel's arms another smile before looking up.

“I better go keep an eye on 'em. There's no tellin' what state my kitchen will be in,” he said quietly, looking down at the puppies on the floor, “C'mon, you three.”

The pups gladly followed their master out of the room with their ears perked up and tails wagging. Peter was right on Bobby's heals, followed by Willy. Humphrey brought up the rear after bonking his head on the door and shaking it off. Sam watched all of them exit the room, feeling strangely comforted. His family wasn't normal in any sense of the word, but he was so proud to have each and every member of it in his life...

“Aww, it's okay, lil' rabbit. Your daddies are still here,” Gabe cooed.

Sam looked back to see that Jessica was turning fussy in the archangel's arms. Gabe quickly and swiftly walked back to the bed, where he sat down and gently bounced on the mattress, trying his best to stop the baby's tears before they started. Sam instantly joined Gabe on the bed, wishing that he could help somehow. Luckily, the bouncing seemed to work because the frustrated look on Jessica's tiny face faded back into a mellow expression. While their daughter slowly drifted off to sleep, Gabriel raised his head to give Sam a brief look of confusion.

“Speaking of animals that multiply like crazy, have you seen Dickie lately?” he asked.

A twinge of worry flashed through Sam's chest. No. He hadn't seen Dickie in a few hours. Where did Gabe's Jack Russell Terrier go? Was he spending some alone time with his moose? Did he get sick of being left out and decide to run away? Was he planning to knock up Crowley's hellhound again? Sam turned around to look toward the open door, hoping Dickie hadn't gone too far.

“Dickie?” Sam called loudly, “Dickie? Are you here, boy?”

Sam and Gabriel both stared toward the hallway and listened in silence, waiting to hear a bark at least. Several seconds ticked by – and Sam was starting to think that their dog had gone missing – when he heard a faint sound. It was a continuous ' _slurt – slurt – slurt_ ', like something heavy was being dragged across the hardwood floor. Sam studied the open doorway, noticing that the sound was growing louder and closer to the room.

Dickie's furry little tail was the first thing that Sam noticed. The dog was inching backward toward the bedroom door, yanking something with him. His jaws were locked onto some kind of rope, which was tied around a huge cardboard box. The dog was trying his best to pull the whole thing into the room. Sam's eyes narrowed. Where did that box come from? And why was Dickie trying to get it into their bedroom? The bottom of the box eventually met the threshold of the door, which caused it to tip over -

And dozens upon dozens of plush toy rabbits came tumbling out onto the floor.

Sam's jaw dropped. He searched the massive pile of fake fur and button eyes all over the room, feeling utterly speechless. _Where the hell did Dickie get all of those toys_?! And _how_ did he get them?! How in the world could a tiny dog like Dickie have the patience, stealth, will power, and _intelligence_ to gather up all of these stuffed rabbits?! _How_?!

Dickie's furry head popped up out of the sea of plush bunnies and he gave a few delighted barks, sounding pleased with himself. He scooped one of the rabbits up into his mouth as he climbed out of the pile and dashed over to hop up on the bed. He dropped the toy near Gabe and stepped over to sniff Jessica's blanket again, acting like he was bringing the bunny to her. Sam's eyes eventually wandered up to meet Gabe's, where the two of them stared at each other with pale faces.

“How - ? How did - ? Wha - ?” It was all Sam could say.

Gabriel shrugged his tiny shoulders and gave his dog a warm smile.

“I guess Dickie wanted Jessica to have a few more rabbits,” he mused.

“A few?! There's like a hundred of them, Gabe!” Sam exclaimed, pointing toward the giant pile of fur behind him.

Gabriel didn't seem to acknowledge Sam's statement. The archangel was too busy petting his dog and giving him a wink.

“I'm sure she appreciates the effort, Dickster. Thank you,” he praised.

Dickie gave his owner's hand a tiny lick before stepping over to lay down at his side. The dog nuzzled his nose close to the hem of Jessica's blanket and wagged his tail a bit as he settled into a comfortable position. Although Sam was still in shock over how Dickie had acquired so many toys – _and_ wondered where they were going to put them all – the man released a small sigh and gave the dog a gentle pat on the head. Maybe showering the baby with stuffed animals was Dickie's way of showing affection...

The three of them stayed quiet as they watched Jessica fall asleep in Gabe's arms. Sam studied her facial features the whole time, still amazed by how much she looked like Gabe. His pouty lips, small nose, and blonde hair had all been passed down, yet somehow turned feminine. The notion brought Sam back to the night when they first conceived her in the old farmhouse. It took so many tries; so much trial and error just to make sure their seed took root. And now, she was here. A small chuckle of astonishment fell out of Sam's mouth at his passing thoughts and Gabriel raised his head with curiosity.

“What's so funny?” he whispered above the baby.

“Nothing,” Sam replied with a smile, “It's just... We planted a seed together.”

Sam noticed that a hint of discomfort crossed Gabe's face when he said the word 'seed.' Maybe Gabriel didn't quite understand the metaphor Sam was trying to use or something. Hoping to make it more clear, the man nodded toward the baby in Gabe's arms and leaned closer on the bed.

“Do you know what the best part about planting a seed is, Gabriel?” Sam asked.

Gabe's honey eyes searched Sam's face with honest sincerity. It seemed like he really wanted to know the answer to the question.

“What?” the archangel prompted.

Sam reached down to pull the hem of Jessica's blanket back in order to let Gabriel see her whole face. The fathers stared down at their precious baby girl for a moment, resting their heads together and breathing in unison.

“Getting to watch it grow,” the man eventually answered.

A tender smile carefully spread across Gabe's moist lips. Whatever discomfort he had been feeling had obviously faded away and Sam was glad to see the total happiness return to his face. Maybe Gabe never considered all the good things that lay ahead for them, like their daughter's first steps or first words. And maybe he was glad to realize that he and Sam were going to see it together...

“You're right, kiddo,” Gabriel agreed in a whisper, letting his eyes drop back to their sleeping daughter, “Seeds aren't so bad after all.”

Sam smiled at Gabe's enthusiasm before joining him in staring down at their little girl. Jessica breathed slowly and quietly inside her blanket, making the fabric extend and retract. She was completely at peace between her loving parents; relaxed and carefree, like every child deserved to feel. But more than anything, she was _happy_. And that was her daddies ever wanted.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Fun fact: when I first wrote the outline for this story, this chapter did not exist. It was a spur-of-the-moment decision I made about half way through the fic that there needed to be one more chapter to wrap up all the loose ends. I couldn't possibly let it end without Bobby getting to hold the baby. Plus, I wanted to give you all an extra hefty dose of fluffy feels. (I mean, I literally dumped an entire box of stuffed animals in there. What could be fluffier than that?) ;D btw, I'm not exactly sure how Dickie gathered all of those rabbits. Let's just say he can channel Gabriel's grace whenever he wants. ;) I really hope that you all enjoyed this story, even with the major cliffhanger and slight angst. There is one more chapter for this part souly dedicated to Crowley and Bobby, and I hope you enjoy it as well! (It's one of my favorite chapters ever.) ;)


	13. Bonus

As he lounged back into his royal throne, Crowley breathed in deep the luscious scent of blood and brimstone and exhaled with a long sigh. His demonic minions were becoming so increasingly moronic and asinine that the mere sight of one approaching caused the king of hell to physically cringe with revulsion. One such moron was a messenger boy that came groveling up to Crowley's throne that evening with a pitiful look of fear on his face. His cowardly demeanor made Crowley subconsciously morn for the unholy race of demons. How could such a dark and feared people fall into such absolute stupidity and lowliness?

“Y – your highness,” the boy squeaked, bowing before his king, “I have a message for you.”

Crowley sighed dramatically as he cast his hand over the edge of his throne to run his fingers through the bristle-like fur of his faithful hellhound. Juliet was ever on guard at his side and one of her pups – a female he had grown fond of and affectionately named Virginia – was sleeping his lap. The king had half a mind to sic his furry companion on the cowering demon, because he was rather bored and in need of entertainment. But alas, the king allowed the worthless scum to bring him news.

“What is it?” Crowley barked.

The messenger boy flinched at his lord's biting tone, but quickly reached into his pocket to retrieve a small envelope. Upon seeing the folded paper, Crowley sat up a little straighter on his throne. A letter? It had been ages since anyone had sent him an actual letter. Usually, he received messages through blood rituals and verbal contact – but a handwritten letter? That seemed like something only a human would do. An _old-fashioned_ human...

“Who gave you that?” Crowley asked.

“It was left at a crossroads, my lord. And it is addressed to you,” the messenger explained, holding the envelope out with a trembling hand.

Filled with genuine interest, Crowley leaned forward and ripped the paper from the messenger's hands. The boy bowed again afterward, backing away with his head down. In the meantime, Crowley inspected the front of the envelope, eying his own name. The word was written with black ink, presumably from a ballpoint pen. And the handwriting seemed so... familiar. The demon king quickly tore open the envelope and took out the note from inside. It was a small index card that had a very simple message.

_Thanks._

_– R_

There was no other text. Just a small mention of gratitude and a single letter. But even at a glance, Crowley knew exactly where it had come from and why it was sent. The demon's eyes instinctively flickered toward the right side of his throne room, where a particular blue hat was placed delicately upon an onyx pedestal. The message in his hand was from Robert Singer. And the hunter was thanking him for the box full of monstrous bastards that he had left on his doorstep a few days prior...

Crowley's dark eyes traveled back to the small handwritten note and a musing smirk rose on his lips. Although he enjoyed the message, the king found it to be a bit odd. Was this genuine gratitude? Or was this the usual dry sarcasm that Robert Singer emitted on a daily basis? Crowley was sure that those three bastard pups were going to drive Singer mad. They had been nothing but an utter nuisance from the moment they were born – unlike their mild-mannered sister, who resembled their darling mother in almost every way. The king paused to pet the pup in his lap, causing her to raise her small head in question. Perhaps it was time to check in on the rest of the bastard rabble and see what Singer had done with them all...

“It appears I have an old friend to visit, my pet,” Crowley said quietly, scooping up the demonic canine to place her gently on the floor next to her mother, “You two keep the masses in line until I return.”

After giving his dear Juliet another gentle pat, the demon transported himself away in a thick puff of black smoke. He intended to appear on the outside of Robert Singer's house; perhaps somewhere close to a window so that he could peak in without being seen. But due to the magnetic pull of the hunter's many demonic artifacts, the king found himself suddenly standing inside the man's study instead.

The scent of aged scotch and crackling firewood filled Crowley's nose as he carefully turned to look around the room. The lamp on the desk was lit and the fireplace was going, giving the room a soft dim glow. Stacks of old books and dusty boxes were littered throughout the space as always, but Crowley didn't mind the clutter. On the contrary, the demon found Robert Singer's house to be quite remedying. Every time he stepped foot inside Bobby's home, Crowley was met with a sense of welcoming comfort that he couldn't find anywhere else. No other place in existence – on Earth, in hell, heaven, or purgatory – could mimic its intoxicating domestic atmosphere.

Crowley eyed the entrance of Robert's study for a moment, wondering were the man was. The demon half expected those three barbaric animals to come rushing up to him the moment he appeared. He braced for the sound of idiotic yapping and dopey-faced excitement that usually accompanied their presence. But luckily, the pups didn't seem to be in the immediate area. It wasn't until he heard the soft rumble of a snore behind him that Crowley turned to face the sofa.

There, tossed upon the tattered couch like a mound of old laundry, Robert Singer was sprawled on his back. His faded baseball cap had spun crooked as he sank comfortably into the sofa and an open book about mythical creatures was laying on his chest. It seemed that the hunter had fallen asleep while reading – and all three bastard pups were sleeping along side him. One was stuffed under his right arm, another was laying across his lap, and the last was snoozing on its back between the man's feet.

The demon smiled down at the strange sight before him. Apparently, Bobby's message hadn't been sarcastic at all. It was genuine. He truly _was_ grateful that Crowley had given him these mongrel mutts. It was evident in the manner in which he subconsciously held them all; loosely clinging to them in his sleep. Bobby's weary eyes were closed, his mouth was partly open beneath his beard, and he looked oddly peaceful for once. Crowley couldn't remember a time he had witnessed Robert Singer fully indulge in a good nap without being partly on guard. Perhaps the bastard pups helped him more than Crowley originally thought...

Although the king had half a mind to wake the man and discuss his strange love for those bizarre animals, he decided against it. It didn't seem fair to deny such a hard working hunter of his well-earned slumber. Instead, Crowley took one last glance at Robert on the couch – briefly memorizing how vulnerable and soft he looked while surrounded by snoozing puppies – before turning to leave.

But the first step the demon took resulted in a tiny ' _squeak_ ' from the floor.

Crowley instantly looked down to find that he had accidentally stepped on a small stuffed rabbit. The fuzzy toy made another tiny sound as he carefully lifted his foot and he internally cringed with disdain. _Bollocks_! His casual exits were usually so smooth and graceful! Where the hell did that bloody rabbit come from?

Hoping that the sound had gone unnoticed, Crowley slowly turned around to see if it had woken up the hunter behind him – and found Robert Singer sitting up on the couch. The man was suddenly wide awake and pointing a loaded handgun at the demon in his study. The three pups all around him were awake and blinking as well, but none of them moved. They were guarding their bearded master with tiny growls and raised fur. It seemed as though Crowley's unexpected arrival caused Bobby to react instinctively. But as soon as the man realized who he was pointing his weapon at, he dropped his hand immediately.

“Oh. It's you,” he breathed with a gulp, his face turning a bit pale, “I – I coulda killed you...”

“I could have killed you first,” Crowley purred quietly, remembering how vulnerable the man had been a few seconds before.

Bobby's face seemed to grow a tad bit red beneath his beard. He leaned over to put his weapon down on the edge of his desk before rubbing his own face and straightening his hat. It seemed like he was attempting to subtly put himself back in order; as if he wanted to look presentable for his uninvited guest. The notion made Crowley feel secretly smug. It was nice to see someone appreciate his company.

While Singer dusted off his vest jacket and combed his wiry beard down, the three pups suddenly dashed off of the couch and pranced their way across the room toward Crowley. The demon internally braced for their annoying greetings, knowing full-well that they were going to clobber his legs and yap incessantly. But luckily, Bobby noticed their eager activity and gave a short whistle.

“Sit down, boys,” the man growled firmly.

To Crowley's utter astonishment, all three pups sat on the hardwood floor. Their red eyes blinked up at the demon and their tails wagged, but they honored their master's command and stayed put. Crowley found himself at a total loss for words. The last time he saw these little pests, they were unruly and chaotic; chewing on everything, urinating wherever they wanted, humping every leg in sight. But now, after just a week of being with Robert Singer, these pups obeyed his command without hesitation. How did he do it? How did Bobby get these bastard pups to heed his word like well-behaved children?

“You've made good use of my gift, I see,” Crowley said carefully.

Although the demon was honestly impressed with the man's work, he didn't want to lose his dominant standing by giving too much praise. As far as Bobby knew, Crowley wasn't swayed by his ability to train dogs nor his rugged fresh-from-sleep appearance. And Crowley wanted to keep it that way. Bobby nodded as he smirked down at the pups on the floor.

“They were a handful, I'll tell ya that much,” the man mumbled with a sigh, “but all they really need is a stern voice.”

Crowley glanced among the wagging tails and wet noses, seeing admiration in their eyes. The pups truly adored their master. It was no wonder they obeyed his every command...

“So, uh... Why are you here? Come to drop off a puppy-support check?”

The demon raised his head to look up at the hunter, noticing the tiny hint of humor buried in his tone. Bobby was staring at Crowley with hazy gray eyes and pursed lips. He was clearly amused by the fact that the king of hell was standing in his study. But again, Crowley refused to let go of his dominant composure. He took a small breath and playfully batted his eyelashes.

“No, Robert. You have full custody of these beasts, I can assure you. I'm actually here because I just received your note of appreciation,” Crowley answered simply.

Bobby's face instantly reddened with embarrassment. He glanced away bashfully and briefly hid his face beneath the bill of his hat, acting like a shy school-boy rather than a mighty hunter. It seemed like he was too ashamed to speak, so Crowley continued.

“I decided to come and see why you were so grateful to have these pitiful mutts,” he spat, snarling down at the one closest to his foot.

“They're not that bad,” Bobby mumbled, “I know they're a lil' rough around the edges, but I reckon they get that from their daddy.”

“Indeed,” Crowley concurred flatly, “Their mother is the embodiment of discipline and obedience, with a harsh streak of blood lust. These three mutants lack the attention span to become noble warriors like her. Their sister, however, shows great potential – ”

“Sister?” Bobby interrupted, raising his head to give Crowley a look of surprise, “They have a _sister_?”

Crowley secretly favored the slight tone of excitement in Bobby's voice. A grin snaked its way across the demon's face as he beamed at the hunter before him.

“Oh yes,” Crowley nodded, “Her name is Virginia, and she's quite the...”

The king's voice trailed off after he heard the tiny snicker slip from Bobby's beard. The man was trying to hold down a smile with a red face, seeming amused. What was so funny? Did the name of Crowley's hellhound pup strike his fancy?

“What?” the demon demanded, feeling confused.

“You – you named her Virginia? Seriously?” Bobby asked, still wearing a grin.

“Yes. It's a popular aristocratic name from the late 16th century,” Crowley explained.

“Yeah, but... It's sounds an awful lot like...”

Instead of finishing his sentence, Robert only raised his eyebrows and put on a suggestive face. It took Crowley a moment to realize what the hunter was trying to imply – but as soon as he figured it out, his jaw dropped in disgust. Ugh! That was unbelievably _crass_!

“As a matter of fact,” Bobby went on, nodding toward the pups on the floor, “ _All_ their names sound kinda vulgar.”

Crowley looked back down at the furry faces near his feet and blinked in shock. He had chosen their names based on Shakespearean and Renaissance era influences, like that of their mother, Juliet. But it wasn't until Robert Singer pointed out the similarity that Crowley realized their names were also euphemisms for genitalia.

“Bloody hell...” the king grumbled.

Bobby chuckled again, filling the room with the sound of gleeful humor. The hunter seemed truly amused by the demon's blunder. And Crowley, although he had tried very hard to stay in control of his dominant demeanor, found himself slipping into a small wedge of embarrassment. He had come here to spy on Singer and catch a quick glimpse of the pups. Instead, he accidentally made his presence known by stepping on a squeaky toy and was then humiliated by the name choice of his pets. The king was usually so suave and in control of situations like this.

But with Bobby... things were different.

The hunter exhaled a long breath as he braced a palm against his desk and leaned back. An uncomfortable silence had entered the room and it seemed like neither of them were sure how to proceed. Crowley – who prided himself on being a professional conversationalist – found himself at a sudden loss for words. Burning wood continued to gently crackle in the fireplace and the pups on the floor continued to whimper. But the only sounds that passed between Bobby and Crowley were the subtle wisps of breath and rustle of pockets. After a few moments of stealing glances at one another, Bobby eventually cleared his throat to speak.

“Do you, um, still have my hat?” he asked lowly, as if he were forcing the words out.

In the warm light from the fireplace, Crowley could see another shade of red growing across Bobby's bearded cheeks. The man was obviously nervous about bringing up what transpired between them in his garage a few months ago; about the tiny deal they agreed to, for which Bobby paid one of his beloved hats...

“It was payment for a deal, darling. Of course I still have it,” Crowley purred, “In fact, I keep it in my throne room, where I can look at whenever I want to be reminded of the desperation in your eyes.”

The king was being sincere. He really did stare at Bobby's old blue hat quite often to recall the moment they made their deal. But his answer didn't seem to resonate with Bobby. The man seemed to take it for a joke. He gave a chuckle before carefully standing up straight and stepping forward.

“Deal?” he repeated, his southern accent sounding like drizzled molasses, “I wouldn't call that a deal...”

Crowley was fully aware that the hunter was slowly stalking closer to him in the room. Bobby's head was hanging low with bashfulness, but his eyes were alight with admiration and heat.

“You wouldn't?” Crowley mused, eying the man's form as he drew nearer, “And why is that, old friend?”

Bobby's heavy boots finally came to a stop a few inches in front of the king. Crowley had no choice but to look up into the man's gray eyes in the warm firelight and see the comfort and passion hidden there. Bobby was staring at Crowley the same way a wolf would stare at the full moon; as if there was some spiritual connection between them that could only be explored through means of _howling_ and _yearning_...

“'Cause we didn't seal it right,” Robert eventually hummed.

Crowley could smell the rich scent of aged scotch on the hunter's breath. Bobby was right. In terms of demonic contracts, they did not seal their deal the correct way – because, frankly, there was no actual deal. Crowley saved the Winchesters because he wanted to prove Singer wrong and show him that even demons were capable of doing good deeds. And while a kiss served as an appropriate seal, it didn't seem fair to bestow it upon Bobby at the time.

But now, it seemed like the hunter was almost _asking_ for it. His eyes were searching the entirety of Crowley's face, his lips were pursing together impatiently inside his beard, and he was unknowingly swaying forward on his feet. His body language alone suggested that he was attempting to get something more out of this conversation than just answers. And Crowley couldn't help but point it out.

“Are you coming onto me, Robert Singer?” the demon hissed with a smirk, arching an eyebrow.

The blush on Bobby's cheeks deepened but his timid smile remained. His shoulders rose and fell with a tiny shrug as he shuffled a tad closer in the room.

“Maybe,” he breathed.

With the dizzying mixture of soft firelight and the scent of scotch, Crowley was almost defenseless against the overpowering atmosphere. For the first time in decades, someone actually had the balls – and the genuine desire – to flirt with the king of hell. Though he may have been a tad drunk, it seemed like Bobby really wanted to finish sealing that deal they made a few months ago. And staring at the hunter's ever-nearing lips made Crowley want to seal it too...

But two figures suddenly appeared in the doorway of Robert's study.

Crowley and Bobby both flashed a glance toward the intruders as they took a safe step back from each other, faces red and full of embarrassment. Sam Winchester and his short blonde companion seemed to have come out of nowhere. The two of them wandered into the study with suspicious eyes directed at the elder hunter and the demon in his presence. Crowley was rather perturbed by their appearance. Couldn't he ever have one bloody moment to himself without a Winchester showing up uninvited?

“Whoa. Sorry for interrupting, old man,” Gabriel smirked toward Bobby, playfully holing up both hands, “We didn't know you had a meeting with the king of hell scheduled in your study at eight o'clock at night...”

“What are you idjits doin' here? I thought you were on yer way to Arkansas,” Bobby grumbled quietly.

“We forgot Jess's diaper bag,” Sam replied, actively searching the room, “Have you seen it?”

“It's in there on the table,” Bobby answered, pointing toward the kitchen.

While Sam stepped out of the study to retrieve whatever he was looking for, Gabriel continued to stand by and grin at Bobby and Crowley. Clearly, the archangel knew that he had interrupted something private because he appeared rather pleased with himself.

“So, what were you guys doing? Planning a fishing trip? Swapping war stories? Making a deal, perhaps?” he winked.

Gabriel's taunting arrogance made Crowley brim with anger. The king had been _mere inches_ away from kissing Robert Singer and the moment was utterly ruined by a damn archangel...

“Our business doesn't concern you, bird,” Crowley sneered.

Once again, Gabriel held up his hands in a defensive manner, even though his smug expression never faltered.

“Hey, man. I don't judge. Judging is my dad's gig, not mine,” the archangel smirked, “If you guys are into weird satanic make-out rituals, that's totally cool with me.”

“We weren't makin' out, dammit,” Bobby huffed.

Although Crowley was glad to hear Robert deflecting Gabriel's snark, the hunter's tone of disgust secretly offended him. Did the thought of kissing a demon honestly disgust Bobby? Or was he just trying to get the archangel off his back? Sam wandered into the study with a diaper bag tossed over his shoulder and tugged on Gabriel's arm.

“Come on, Gabe. I got the bag. Let's go feed Jess,” the Winchester said, flashing a timid smile toward Bobby, “Sorry again, for interrupting. We'll, uh, let you guys get back to whatever you were doing.”

“Yeah. In fact, I'll help reset the mood for you before we go,” Gabriel said.

The archangel raised a hand and snapped his fingers together – and the room filled with the gentle sound of Al Green's 'Let's Stay Together.' Afterward, Sam and Gabriel disappeared, leaving Bobby and Crowley alone in the midst of an R&B love song. Though his cheeks were flush with heat, Crowley rolled his eyes in annoyance. Bollocks. Why did angels always feel the need to throw their irritatingly enormous weight around? Where the hell was that song even coming from?

Crowley kept his eyes on the pups near his feet for a moment, unsure of how Sam and Gabriel's interruption – and their accusations about making deals – had effected Bobby's mood. Part of him feared that the hunter would ask him to leave, which would have been fitting because Crowley never intended to stay this long anyway.

But then, he suddenly found himself inside a kiss.

Bobby had taken three large steps forward and yanked Crowley up by the front of his black suit to drive their mouths together. The man's pump lips were smearing all over the demon's, causing the wiry hairs of Bobby's beard and mustache to rub against Crowley's stubble. The taste of finely aged scotch was still harbored on the hunter's mouth, enticing Crowley's tongue to snake out and soak up as much of the precious flavor as he could. The soothing love song continued to play in their ears as they kissed, adding even more depth to their intimate moment.

After what seemed like a lifetime, Bobby finally plucked his mouth away from Crowley's. The demon carefully opened his eyes as the man let go of the front of his suit jacket, wanting to see his face. He never pegged Robert as the sort of man that would violently kiss someone without taking them to dinner first. But clearly, Crowley had been wrong. Bobby was a hunter before a gentleman; willing to do whatever it took to capture his prey before it made an escape. And for once, Crowley was glad to be considered prey.

Robert nervously cleared his throat and wiped the edge of his mouth with a calloused hand as he glanced away. In the meantime, Crowley straightened the front of his suit and beamed at the man before him, feeling rather pleased. Bobby's eyes eventually returned to Crowley's and he held back a smile as he pointed toward the desk over his shoulder.

“Would you like a drink?” he asked over the sound of the music.

A devilish grin snaked its way across Crowley's lips.

“I thought you would never ask, love,” the king murmured.

A hint of satisfaction rose in Bobby's gray eyes as he turned to retrieve a set of glasses. With the taste of Bobby's mouth still lingering on his lips, Crowley followed him to the desk. And although he was vitally focused on the hunter in front of him, the demon was also aware that three happy puppies were wagging their tails off to the side, still beaming up their owner with obvious delight...

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> And so, the Crobby saga continues. ;) I think that Crowley was a bit turned on by the fact that Bobby had trained a set of rambunctious hellhound pups in a week. (Even demon kings love a good stern voice, am I right?) lol. :) This bonus chapter officially counts as the first time that a Winchester has interrupted Bobby in the middle of doing something naughty. Usually, it's the other way around in my fics. But not today. (Plus, I just had to let Gabriel tease them about it.) ;) I believe that the puppies will try everything in their doggy power to get their former owner and their current owner to fall in love. 'Parent Trap' style. Though, it probably won't take much. ;) I really hope you all enjoyed this bonus chapter! :) The next part in this series is called 'Home.' And I will do my best to get it all revised and posted asap! Thank you all sooooo much for reading this fic! I really hope that you enjoyed it, and I hope you stick around for the next part as well! <3 <3 <3


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